


Soldiers Of Light

by Twilight_Rose



Category: Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-17
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-09-18 04:14:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 42,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9367526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twilight_Rose/pseuds/Twilight_Rose
Summary: Two soldiers, in their own right, fall deep into a never-ending abyss of anguish, pain and violence. They are merely complications in an already complicated world. Love triangle. Warning for swearing and adult themes. Based a few years after Human Revolution.





	1. Innocence Lost

Adam crouched down in a vent, on the top floor of a supposed derelict building in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. But of course, his Intel, and he himself, knew better that the building never was, or has been derelict. A smuggling gang resided there. They smuggled children, and drugs, sold, then them trafficked to the highest bidder. Of course, no bidding would take place in plain sight, or anywhere with CCTV cameras.

And so, Adam huffed, for the sixth time whilst in said vent, and craved a cigarette. It was only when Pritchard spoke that the man was jolted out of his thoughts.

"Adam, I am getting nine signatures on the building. Now that's odd".

Adam tilted his head to look between the thin gaps in the grate. He saw several men, two were clutching the arms of a tiny girl, the girl that he was there to rescue. He grew angry and had to bite his lip to stop a growl from forcing its way from his throat. Frank took this as a reply, and huffed in annoyance.

"Only seven men went up, and onto that floor. The child was with them, so that makes eight".

The ex-SWAT member laughed.

"Heh, you can count. At least you do that adeptly Frank. Seriously though, you've been dropping the ball lately. We really don't know this girl's name? It's your job too, Frank".

Frank groaned and gulped down some coffee. It of course HAD to go down the wrong whole, and he spluttered it everywhere, and coughed violently. He almost threw up, from the sheer force of his coughing. Adam was genuinely concerned now. The techie nerd sounded sick.

"You're not getting sick are you?"

Pritchard stopped coughing and swallowed down some bile. He grimaced and felt light headed.

"I regret to say this, but yes, I believe I am".

"Aw shit. I was around you for at least a few days, doing paperwork and now you are sick".

Frank coughed again and felt more bile work its way up his throat.

"Your Redbreathers should stop you from getting ill. Why do you think when people get cold here, and you walk past them, you don't get it?"

Adam smirked.

"A decent immune system, sleep, well when I find time to sleep, eating good food…..".

Pritchard was going to vomit, he could feel it. He felt clammy, and shaky. He stood up and walked out of the office door, but kept his comm in.

"YOU LIVE OFF OF CEREAL! That isn't good food! Just rescue the girl and don't come back here, go somewhere else. I am going to vomit now. Oh god".

Frank pulled out the comm unit, placed it on top of a bin, and marched into the men's toilet.

Adam did feel a little bad for his tech adviser, but then again, he was asking for it. Not sleeping at all, living off a diet of coffee and energy drinks. He looked like a zombie, and now, it seemed, he also felt like one.

Adam heard a groan, and so moved the grate up.

The men had moved, but now, a woman was in his sight, and his retinal HUD scanned her over. She was cuffed, and badly bruised, on her arms, and her left cheek.

So that's the ninth person huh. And who the hell are you?

***

Hadley squirmed, and grimaced. The tangy smell of her own blood mixed in with the smell of sulfur, in the air from repeated gunshots, fired towards her, missing by mere centimeters.

Warning shots. Gang warfare seriously pisses me off. Just shoot me and be done with it. This fucking hurts.

The agent had no choice, she had to use her own blood, as lubrication, to get out of the cuffs. Her guns were not far from her, and there were a few crates by them, so she could roll and get behind them, for cover.

Hadley took a deep breath, and started rotating her wrists. The blood flowed down only one wrist, so when she got that one free, she had to rub them together, to free the other one.

She inwardly cussed, when one of the men walked back over to her.

"Անգլերեն քած".

Hadley smirked and put her middle finger up. The man gasped, and she dived for her guns.

"Ով է քած հիմա? Fucker".

She grabbed her guns and shot the man, through his skull. She got behind the crates and their captor ran and hid.

Good, at least her Father was smart enough to teach her to do that.

She moved up from her cover and started shooting the men, one by one, picking them off, rather easily, considering these men were ex-soldiers, for the Armenian forces.

***

Adam heard shooting and looked around the wall. He started shooting the men as well, before getting out his baton, and smacking one, over the head with it. The man slumped down, dead, and Hadley stared him down, with wide eyes.

"How many people have I pissed off? Armenians, Russians, and now a man who looks like a reject from the Matrix".

Adam looked away, and drew his gun, putting it to the woman's head. She did the same to him.

"We think alike then. Good. These bastards kidnapped Cressida. She is my boss' daughter. They did it because I foiled a major drug deal. We're talking billions here".

Adam was shocked. "Billions?"

Hadley rolled her eyes. "Didn't whomever tinker with you augment your hearing? Yes, billions. Cressida, it's okay honey. Don't mind the big, armed to the teeth brute here. Who are you anyway?"

The little girl in question ran from behind the wall and straight into Hadley's arms. She noticed the little girl had a comm in her hand, and she smiled.

"Thank you sweetheart. Seriously though, who the heck are you?"

Her tech contact, Blaine got in on the conversation, the moment she put the comm in her ear and turned it on.

"Hadley? Shit, you're alright. I was getting really worried. That is Adam Jensen, works for David Sarif, of Sarif Industries. His contact is Frank Pritchard".

The man in question was now as white as sheet, but was out of the toilet. He picked his comm back up, and walked back to his office.

Adam heard him rasp, and frowned. "Frank….".

When he arrived at his desk, he quickly traced Blaine's signal, and looked him up, and Hadley.

"Hadley Groves, works for British Intelligence, and Blaine Jackson, ex US military, former US agent for the FBI".

The female agent almost cackled. "Boys, really now? Bantering already? This will be fun. Also, Blaine, no need to start chewing your nails over me, you know I always work my way out of troublesome situations".

Blaine sighed. "You know how to get yourself in them remarkably well too, so yes, I do worry. You know, you'll scare the little one. Maybe tell her a story, calm her down.

"Blaine, please. Behave, I am in no mood for jokes. You know that I do not, and never have had, a maternal instinct".

Adam put his gun down, and so did Hadley. Cressida eyed him warily, before sticking her tongue out at him. He smirked at her gall, but found it cute.

"Big scary man frightening you is he? Shall I fight him off for you?"

The little girl giggled and moved her arms up. She wanted to be held.

Hadley frowned. "I can't honey, my arms are bleeding and I'll ruin your lovely dress. And you know Daddy won't be pleased if I do that now, will he? Listen, Adam? My helicopter was shot down, not long ago. Is there any way you could help us get to the British embassy? Refuel, on food and sleep too. We'll be safe there. My boss has contacts, so he has assured me that we will be fine. Sir?"

Two heaving sighs were heard in her ear, and she passed the comm to Cressida. Her Mother and Father were delighted to hear that their little girl was safe.

Her Mother, Rosalind squealed. "Oh Cressida! You're okay. We were so worried!"

Her Father, Edward was overjoyed. "Cressida, darling. Are you hurt?"

Cressida smiled. "Nope, Auntie Hadley helped me out, and a tall man in black".

"Man in black? Whom?"

Sarif managed to get in on the conversation, and at the right moment too. He did have impeccable timing sometimes, Adam thought.

"Ah, Adam's there too. He works for me. Sorry about that, Mr and Mrs Finch. Good to hear from you again, Edward. How's things in London?"

Edward sounded very unhappy. "Bad, David, very bad. First, a massive drugs deal is almost smuggled from Armenia, to the Russians. Luckily it was foiled, but then my daughter is taken, when we were on holiday in Greece. Now, here, the worry is that important documentation has been leaked about ongoing and closed cases. MI5 cannot afford a breach like that, it is far too severe".

David put his head in his hands.

"You know that I will help. I will do all I can to assist you. Faridah?"

The pilot picked up immediately.

"Yes boss?"

"Adam, Cressida and Hadley need picking up and taking to the British embassy".

"Got it. Jensen, I'm on my way".

***

When Malik arrived, Cressida looked terrified. Adam tilted his head at her. Hadley looked unhappy.

"Cressida gets travel sick, airsick too. Do you have a Dramamine tablet?"

The little girl shook her head.

Hadley groaned. "Oh dear. Now we have to deal with an airsick child, as well as the mysterious, quiet, man in black".

Adam rolled his eyes. He was quiet for a reason.

A damn good reason. Everything had gone to pot with Megan, and it made him sour, and nasty. He completely shut her out of his life, and so she had to move away from Detroit. For her sake, and for the sake of his mental state too.

He sighed at those bitter memories and got into the helicopter.

***

Take off was a bit of an uneasy one, and Cressida was fidgeting. Hadley tried to take her mind off the flying.

"You'll be back with Daddy tomorrow, and playing with your dolls".

The little girl's doe like azure eyes looked into her light grey ones.

"Are you going to be alright?"

She started to drift off, and that had the agent saying 'aww' in her mind.

"I will be. I'll get looked over, I promise. Sleep now, and I'll wake you in a little while, okay?"

She didn't receive a reply. She noticed Adam, with a slight grin on his face.

"Don't smile, please. You are beginning to frighten me. What's up? Or are you just gawking?"

His small grin widened.

"I might be…Anyway, I thought you said you aren't maternal. You're being awfully nice to little Cressida there".

Hadley clicked her tongue. "I'm not, but what am I supposed to do? Call her a little bitch? She isn't that bad, and besides, she is Edward's daughter. I would never talk to him like shit, so why would I do that to her, hmm?"

She had a point, though, Cressida seemed very young, and Adam figured that Edward would be around Sarif's age.

"Your boss had her late".

Hadley agreed. "Yeah, she wasn't planned, but you're right. He was forty-one and his wife was forty-three, when she was born. Wasn't expected at all, but she happened. Still, they are good parents. Whatever. Ugh, I am exhausted, wake me when we get to the embassy, okay? Thanks".

***

Adam felt a sense of deja-vu. Megan spoke to him like that, in the conversation they had, before she packed her bags and left Detroit. Then again, he had well and truly pissed her off, and it took a lot to do that. A hell of a lot.

But of course, he managed it, with relative ease. And it worried him. Whilst not the nicest person in the world, he certainly wasn't the nastiest either. But he had been a true horror to Megan, and he didn't wish to repeat that with Hadley.

Even if she did grate on him, and act all high and mighty.

He had to keep a cool head. For her sake, at least.

He still wasn't sure if, even after two years of not seeing his ex-girlfriend, with their explosive rowing coming to a head, if he was ready to deal with a bolshie woman, who seemed to have a stick rammed up her arse.

He did wonder why she acted like that though.

Adam closed his eyes and unwittingly, drifted off, into a world of nightmares.

His soul was even more tortured than he thought, and his soul was fragmented. Deep fissures in it weakened him, made him vulnerable.

 

And one thing that Adam Jensen really, really despised, was being vulnerable.


	2. Silence Isn't Golden

Kyoto, Japan, 2017

 

Hadley stood, fixing her makeup in the bathroom of the swankiest hotels she had ever stayed in. Her dress was designed to get her attention. It was granite coloured, and swept the floor gracefully as she walked. It was backless, to her waist, and had buttons at that back of her neck, to keep it up. It fit her perfectly, not too tight, but not so big that it swamped her. She grabbed her purse and walked out of the bathroom. Blaine was waiting outside for her, and was glad he was leaning against the wall when he saw her.

Oh god.

Hadley then twirled and his heart jumped.

OH GOD. Hadley, you bitch. How am I supposed to stand next to you, when I can see like half your body?

Hadley smiled and put out her hand. Blaine snapped out of his inappropriate thoughts and stuffed his hand in his trouser pocket. He pulled out three rings, and passed two to her.

"Never had to pretend I was married before. Should I walk funny? You know, being a newlywed and all? Having so much sex that I can't open my legs or we'll feel a draft?"

Blaine laughed loudly. Hadley snorted and put the rings on her ring finger.

"Do that and you'll give us away. Don't get me wrong, it will be hilarious, but, I don't want people thinking that all we do is screw. I want them to think that we are actually happy, and sweet. All that mushy shit, you know?"

The agents walked into the elevator and she pushed the ground floor button. Blaine put on his ring, looked at it and sighed.

"Lets make this look authentic. Hell, lets hope I can do a better job of this than my last REAL marriage".

Hadley held his hand and tried to make him feel better.

"The amount of people here with sticks rammed so far up their own arses, I bet they walk funny. Hope they don't trip over their wallets".

Blaine turned to her and laughed.

"You are such a cow sometimes. Then again, I bet they are pretty damn rich. So, let's go over the cover story again".

Hadley nodded. "Lets. I was in the museum, working as an understudy for the curator. You came to see the new Greek exhibit we had on, and you came up to me and asked me about the new statues we had procured. I helped you, and we found out that we liked similar things,. You asked me out, and a year later, here we are. I work in procuring items for the British museum, and am here to negotiate with other museum representatives, see if I can get some new pieces for future exhibits. Everything has been sorted, so even if they try to ruin things, by doing background checks, as they usually do, they won't find any flaws in our plan. So, Mr Farley, shall we get on with our jobs?"

Blaine nodded and grinned.

"Of course, Mrs Farley".

Before leaving the elevator, Hadley took a lingering look at a suited Blaine. He had on a grey suit that matched the grey of her dress.

Aw, we even colour coordinated. How adorable. Blegh.

"You look hot by the way. Suits really, er, suit you?"

Blaine groaned and shook his head.

"So insufferable".

The pair laughed and walked out, into the hotel lobby.

***

Present day

Something was prodding Hadley. She swatted at it and heard a grumble. She chuckled and opened her eyes.

"Adam". She checked that Cressida was still asleep, she was. Out like a light. "Fuck off. Brute". She turned her comm back on and stretched out her arms. Pain lanced through both and she groaned. Blaine made an unhappy sound.

"Just how injured are you exactly?"

The woman just frowned. "I've been worse, I've also been much better. God I stink. I need a bath".

Her tech guy, unbeknownst to her, was grinding his fists into his desk in frustration. He hated Hadley getting hurt, especially when it someone else had done the damage.

"You didn't answer the question. Ugh, anyway, with the advances in science and medicine, you should be patched up in no time when you reach the embassy. Ms Malik?"

Faridah jumped at this new, foreign voice.

"Dammit. Blaine right?"

"You got it. How far are you from the embassy?"

"Literally right above the helipad now, already got clearance to land, so we are".

Blaine sighed and moved his fists off the desk, relaxing them.

"Okay. Hadley, I will leave you to it for now. Let you get patched up. Say hello to Cressida for me".

Hadley smiled. "Will do. Talk to you later. Adam, could you pick up Cressida? The blood's dried on my arms but they hurt like shit. Pretty please?"

She fluttered her eyelashes at him, which he hated, and rolled his eyes in response to, not that she could see that, but agreed. He picked the little girl up.

***

The VTOL landed on the helipad, and it's passengers got out. A quick talk with the officials confirmed that Blaine and Edward had explained the situation and sorted everything out, which has everyone taking a sigh of relief and appreciation. Hadley went off to get her arms tended too, and Adam just walked into the clinical area, dumped Cressida next to her, and walked off.

He needed a cigarette, badly.

***

When the agent was discharged, she woke her little charge, who yawned and grimaced.

"Are we in hospital?"

Hadley shook her head. "No, but it sure looks that way. White walls, all clinical and so clean, you could eat off of every surface. We are at the embassy, I just got my arms looked at. They are fine. You however, need need to be checked over too, missy".

The little blond haired girl pouted. Hadley chuckled.

"Oh no, that won't work with me. For your Mum and Dad's sake, please. They are friendly here, promise. No needles, no prodding and no messing your hair up, okay?"

Cressida nodded and went into the nurses office.

***

A man rounded the corner of the clinic, and Hadley stood up.

"Ah, Ms Groves. My apologies for not being available sooner. I am Mr Faroud, the English representative for the Armenian embassy. I hope you were not too badly injured. I apologise for what some of my reckless fellow Armenians did today. I cannot believe they slipped under our radar for so long".

Hadley shrugged.

"Well, smugglers have to be sneaky, it's in the metaphorical job description. If they aren't get caught. Unless, they were paying officials, for their silence. I hope not. I will be fine, so will the little one. Sorry, where are my manners? I'm all over the place, I do apologise. Hadley, Hadley Groves. Pleased to meet you, Mr Faroud".

They shook hands.

"It's okay, I understand. So, I have acquired three rooms for you. One for your pilot, one for Mr Jensen, and one for you and the little girl, if that is okay with you?"

"That's fine, besides, I was going to ask if I could stay with her. I am the only person here she knows, known her since she was born, so she trusts me. Thanks for the help, it's much appreciated".

Mr Faroud stood, as Cressida came out from the nurses office. She had a little pink plaster on her head, with yellow flowers on it. Hadley smirked.

"You couldn't resist, girly girl. Hah, you love pink, you don't even need that plaster". She looked to the now frowning Mr Faroud. "She's fine, trust me. She just loves the colour pink".

The agent picked up the 'injured' little princess, and gestured with her head.

"So, where are these rooms?"

***

Adam stood, outside, on the roof, smoking his second cigarette.

Shit going on with gangs, yet again. Is anywhere not obsessed with gang warfare? I wonder how many join just cause they think it makes them look cool? Well it doesn't, jackasses.

As he puffed away, the sun was beginning to set on the city. Despite this, the temperature was beyond anything he had ever felt before. He was convinced if he didn't have so many augments, his skin would have burnt off, it was THAT hot.

A long, deep drag of the now smaller, poisonous article made him want to purge his mind, of all the chaos going on around him. It followed him, everywhere. It sounded selfish, and Sarif wouldn't approve at all, but sometimes, Adam wondered what would happen if he committed suicide, or chose to walk away from his boss.

From everything he had ever known.

Adam never felt much anymore, except loneliness, misery, self loathing.

Adam was dead, on the inside.

On the outside? He was a weapon, a machine. Humanity left him long ago.

So did his sanity, and grip on reality, it seemed...

***

Hadley sat, in her room, with Cressida, who was sat on the edge of the bed, swinging her feet.

She had offered the bathroom to the little girl first, who had declined, so she went in there instead.

The agent decided to run a bath, but not before turning her comm back on.

"Evening Blaine. Thanks for sorting everything out here. I said hello to little C for you, she says hello back".

"Little C? Are you sure you aren't concussed?"

"Nope. I am just beyond knackered. You?"

Blaine sighed. "I am bored, seriously, nothing is happening here. This is MI5 for god's sake, and yet nothing is happening. Or if it is, I am not in the know, and you know I hate that".

Hadley laughed. "Of course something is going on. International spy stuff. Stuff that your puny little mind couldn't comprehend".

"You are a real charmer, aren't you? Can't think why when men talk to you, you scare them off in milliseconds".

"Ha, yeah, I do. You don't seem scared though. You know me, hell, probably better than I do".

"Heh, well, I do pay attention. Are you coming back here tomorrow?"

The agent nodded, and turned on the hot tap of the bath.

"I believe so. Apparently, Adam's tech guy is sick. It may be contagious, so we can't risk that. I never get ill, and I wouldn't let Cressida near anyone who is ill, if I can".

Her friend smirked. "You get ill, after you say you never do".

Hadley grimaced. "Don't jinx it, you arse...okay, I can't say it. Screw you. Look, I will see you tomorrow".

"Sure you are okay?"

She smiled. "You sound concerned. Aw, that's adorable. I'll be fine, you big worrywart".

Blaine sucked in a breath.

Yes, I am concerned. I knew ass kicking would be in the contract, but, you getting pummeled pisses me off and makes me sick with worry. So yes, I worry.

He let out his breath in a long sigh. "Worrywart? Fuck, the sun really is getting to you, isn't it? Get some rest, and I'll see you tomorrow".

He pulled out his comm, and turned it off. He looked to the pack of cigarettes on his desk and got the urge to smoke, again. He had to get out of the office.

He clocked out early and left to his apartment.

***

Hadley turned off her comm, and took it out. She went back into the bedroom and placed it on the bedside dressing table. She reentered the bathroom and turned off the tap. The water was scalding when she put her hand in, but she really, really needed a bath, as she smelled rank.

She took off her clothes, and noticed a few small bottles of shower soap, in a little open cabinet above the sink. She picked the up and got into the bath.

The water took her breath away, and her arms began to hurt again. She sat down and put her arms, either side of the bath.

She soaped down her body and felt much better, when the dirt and dried blood was scrubbed off.

She sighed and closed her eyes.

***

Kyoto, Japan, 2017

After socializing for many hours, and drinking champagne that must have been a thousand plus credits a bottle, sake was offered around to everyone. But Hadley spotted that hers didn't look it's usual, milky white colour, but it took on a more greenish tinge. She put it down and saw Blaine with his. He downed it and grimaced. She felt like screeching at him, but she couldn't. All she could do was walk over to him, and pray that she was in time to save him.

"Chris, bathroom, now".

Blaine frowned. "Er, why?"

Hadley jabbed his arm. "That sake was poisoned and you drank it. They know who we are, we have been rumbled. Please tell me that your sake was not green?"

Blaine stared at the little shot glass and nodded.

"Aw, shit. That had tetrodotoxin in it, pufferfish poison. Now you need to vomit, or that stuff will paralyze you. It's a neurotoxin. Come on, hubby, lets go have sexual relations in the bathroom, NOW!"

Hadley took Blaine's hand and dragged him to the toilets. She stood there, tapping her foot.

"Well go on then, throw up. You know how to, don't you? Or do I need to shove my hand down your throat, hmm?"

Blaine shifted. "Just don't watch".

Hadley groaned, and growled when two men walked into the toilets. They stared at her and were shocked. She had had enough.

"My husband isn't feeling well, so yes, I am entitled to be the goddamned male bathroom, okay? I care about him, so FUCK OFF and leave him to be ill".

The men continued to stare at her, and she smirked.

"I said, leave. NOW!"

The men jumped, and scurried out of the door.

***

Hadley heard retching behind her.

"Get it up yet?"

Blaine finally threw up, and this nasty, sewage coloured bile erupted from his throat. She shifted and opened up her purse. Blaine stopped throwing up green puke, so stopped poking his tonsils.

"Fucking hell. If I die, tell the bastard that poisoned me that I will haunt his ass to kingdom fucking come".

Hadley passed him a small box of mints. He just groaned.

"And there's the Blaine I know and adore. Right, we need to get to our room, get changed, get our gear and get out of here. I am not running in six inch heels".

Blaine straightened up his suit jacket and went to the sink, to swill his mouth out a few times.

"Why do you wear those anyway?"

Hadley walked to the door, and opened it slightly, to check for any unwanted visitors.

"Because they look good".

Blaine saw her reflection in the bathroom mirror and took a sneaky look at her backside.

Heh, you have a point there.

Hadley held up a hand and motioned for him to walk over to her.

"The coast's clear. Come on, it won't be for long when they see us on the CCTV cameras, so we need to be quick".

Blaine nodded and they left the bathroom, not without his brain doing flips though, and sending signals to places that did NOT need blood rushing to them.

 

All he could do was grit his teeth, hope he survived the sake incident, and hope that Hadley didn't notice the bulge in his now, painfully tight trousers...


	3. Finding Patterns In Nothingness

Hadley, Cressida and Adam boarded the VTOL, as soon as dawn broke over the city. When Cressida asked how long it would take to get to London, the answer was unpleasant and dampened her happy mood.

Twelve hours, twelve freaking hours, with a airsick child, who Adam could have sworn that her skin had turned a little green, was going to be a living nightmare for him. At least she had a 'blow your chunk bag'. Although if she did, ugh, he may just do too. Vomit was just one of those smells that made him wretch, and feel sick himself.

Sarif's voice made him sit up from his slouch and his boss wanted Hadley to hear what he had to say too, so she turned on her comm, and Blaine rerouted Sarif's signal.

"Adam, got some bad news. Frank is very ill, borderline type 2 diabetes, and half starved. He needs bed rest for at least three months".

Adam rolled his eyes. "It's self inflicted boss. We kept on telling him, working all day, every day, not resting, not eating and living off of sugary drinks was going to harm him. But we knew he would never listen".

Hadley actually felt sorry for the man. "Poor guy". Adam staring at her made her flinch. "What? I do have a heart you know. It just doesn't stretch to many emotions. Blaine? Do us a favour and get us some food. You have our coordinates, right?"

Blaine laughed. "Yes, and what's the magic word?"

Hadley groaned. "I can't say it in front of the Princess".

"The other one, the more acceptable one".

"Ah. Please".

"Okay. Pizza then?"

"Of course. Adam, Faridah, are you okay with that?"

Adam responded with a small nod, and Malik hummed her approval.

"You know me so well, it's scary. Stop being so damned smart, it's ominous".

Blaine smirked and turned off Hadley's comm, but kept Malik's, Sarif's, and Adam's on.

"Heh, you don't know the half of it Hadley".

The three held back almost childlike giggles, and Adam had to refrain from staring at the impatient agent. Blaine turned her comm back on.

"If you said something personal...you know how I deal with people who do that. Again, can't say it in front of little Cressida, but it involves pain, Blaine, a lot of it. Now sit down and shut up".

Adam smirked and Blaine turned off all the comm units.

***

Seven hours in, luckily with no puke everywhere from Cressida, Hadley was now tickling her.

"Admit it, you like kids".

Hadley had to be careful with her answer. Cressida could tell her Father, if she said no.

"Not all, Cressida is the exception, aren't you, you little monkey?"

The little girl was laughing and squirming in her seat. Hadley stopped her 'attack' and turned to face the brooding man.

"She's okay. but popping one out myself? Heck no. I'd rather have barbed wire wrapped around my body, whilst being nude. Harsh, I know, but I am known for being brutally honest".

Adam thought on that for a bit, and decided to be rather cruel and use his C.A.S.I.E implant on her.

"Brutally honest. Well then, what do you think of me?"

Hadley narrowed her eyes and frowned. "I don't like this, it feels like a trap".

Adam held up his hands. "Maybe. Humor me".

Hadley shook her head. "Humor? Have you ever cracked a smile? Wouldn't you damage an expensive implant doing that?"

And...she was telling the truth.

Bitch.

"That's not answering the question now, is it?"

Hadley nodded. "Aren't you astute? Okay, you really want to know?"

He nodded, getting a little frustrated, but still interested in her, 'witty' comebacks.

"Okay then".

***

"You are quiet, insignificant. Those augments help hide you well, masquerade you, so all I see is a black shadow, seemingly lurking, and yet, somewhat curious. You are handsome, not going to lie, although it is a little disconcerting, having not seen your eyes. It makes you seem almost lifeless, as a spark is supposed to reside in the eyes, and I do not know if you have one. You seem confident, but sometimes, it feels forced, as if you have to prove yourself to someone, maybe even yourself".

Adam was speechless. Was he really that easy to read?

Fuck, this is getting creepy now.

His C.A.S.I.E implant detected a little omega and beta were flashing up, indicating that she was a little suspicious, and nervous about the subject matter. Not surprising really, considering that this was HIM she was trying not to offend.

It was awfully easy to offend him now. Especially after, Panchaea...

Aw crap, not again. I did what I thought was right. Hell, augment technology is still flawed, the fucking Neuropozyne is killing people, or turning them into deranged maniacs.

The memories came flooding back, and his silence was poignant to Hadley, who knew not to say anything more.

***

It was almost eleven in the evening when the four finally arrived on the helipad. As soon as Cressida and Hadley exited, a man came running up to the little girl.

"Cressida! Oh mon Dieu, you're alright!"

Hadley nodded and the man nodded in thanks. Adam exited the helicopter and saw the man walking away, with Cressida.

"Ah, that is Stefan, and the woman over there, is Vivienne. They are Cressida's siblings. Told you there was an age gap between them. Stefan is twenty-four, Vivienne is twenty, and Cressida is seven".

Adam got out a cigarette. "So not a little girl then".

Hadley rolled her eyes. "Well technically, no. But, she is little, and a girl, so yeah. Anyway, shut up".

He rolled his eyes back and retracted his shades. He looked at Hadley, who looked back and smiled.

It was the first genuine smile he had seen her make. It looked much better than her frowning, so he tried to smile back, before the moment got awkward.

Thankfully, before it did, another man came onto the roof, and headed straight for Hadley. Adam figured it was Blaine. Blaine was a little taller than himself, had a smaller build, had blond/brown short hair, and light brown eyes. He figured they'd want to talk alone, and so grunted his excuse to leave them in peace.

But before he walked away, Hadley winked at him, and he caught himself smiling again, at that small gesture.

Maybe she isn't that bitchy after all...anyway, smoke break, now.

***

Blaine walked up to Hadley and a big smile was on his face.

"Hadley, it's good to see you".

Hadley smiled back. "Ello me old china! Heh. Come here".

Blaine picked her up, she squealed, which everyone heard, and looked at, then started laughing at her. She flushed a muted pink.

"Blaine, please. I have a reputation to maintain, please let me down".

The tech guy put her down and was still grinning.

"Please stop that, you look like a psycho".

He tapped his nose and smiled.

"I'm too nice for that. Pizza's waiting, and pretty sure if we don't get down to the boss' office soon, he will have a meltdown. Poor guy was pacing for hours".

"Mmm, thanks sweetheart. Adam? When you're ready, the office is on the sixth floor, first door on the right".

The two agents walked away, leaving Adam to smoke his second cigarette.

***

When the pair arrived at Finch's office, Edward and his family were cheering, making both feel embarrassed.

"Sir, it wasn't just us who helped rescue Cressida. So did Adam, and Malik".

Edward nodded. "You're right. Please, invite them down here too. I wish to thank them".

Blaine put on his comm and Hadley walked over to her boss' desk.

"Sir? I think Adam and Malik will be here for a while. His tech advisory is quite ill, so, should they help us, or be a separate team?"

"I'll get in touch with David. Sit, please. You've done me proud Hadley. You will hate me saying this but".

Hadley groaned aloud. "Sir, don't say it. Spare me the parental feelings, please".

The agent reached over his desk lamp, and precariously picked up a rather wide pizza box. She opened it to see chicken, mushrooms and sweetcorn. She breathed in the delicious smell, and her mouth watered.

"I'll have some of this. Need to get changed and wash up a bit first though. I'll be back in a bit".

She left the office, and saw Adam and Malik, leaving the elevator. Malik walked on ahead, so Hadley decided to have a word with Adam.

"Just so's you know, I am not going to ask about your past, or act like a Councillor and get you to bare your soul",

She walked to the elevator and pressed the button.

"Oh, and nice eyes, by the way. Always loved the colour green".

Adam stood there, a little unsure if his ears had just heard right.

Did Hadley, the bitchiest woman he had ever met, just say something nice?

He quickened his pace to the office.

 

I'm losing it. I must be.


	4. Overrated

Undisclosed location, 2019

 

"Blaine, where the hell are we going?"

Blaine clicked his tongue. "Ah, that would be telling".

Hadley sighed and fiddled with her hands. "Well I was told to dress up, and make up my face, so I assume it's a party of some sort".

Blaine smiled. "You are right. No peaking though, okay? Play ball".

Hadley grimaced. "I want to throw the damn ball at you. Okay...we've stopped. Now can you tell me?"

Blaine stopped the car, and took her hand. She got out of the car, and he took off the blindfold. Hadley squinted, as the bright sunlight hit her eyes. She placed her hand above her eyes, and looked ahead of her.

There, was her cousin. Then it hit her.

It was her cousin's birthday, and she had always been too busy to attend. She usually would send a present and a card. She did so too, this year, but, to see her cousin standing there, with her gift in hand made her emotional. She turned to Blaine and grinned.

"Oh, sneaky fucker. Annabel! Lovely to see you!"

Annabel came over and hugged her cousin. She then looked up at Blaine, and smirked.

"This was your idea, right? Honestly Hadley, we are supposed to be family". She teased.

"I was really busy, half way around the world for most of your birthdays. I wasn't avoiding you, trust me. I know I am not very hospitable, but I wasn't deliberately trying to miss any special days. When's the baby due?"

Annabel smiled and held her stomach. "In two months, it's a boy".

Hadley started to get pains in her thigh, and had to grit her way through it. "I know a place that makes the cutest little booties, ugh".

Her cousin seemed concerned. "Are you alright?"

The agent nodded and walked past her. "I'm fine, just sat down for too long, need to stretch my legs".

Blaine followed her, also concerned for her safety.

***

When the pair got away from the small gathering of people, Hadley cringed.

"Aw shit. I'm in pain".

The gears twisted in Blaine's head.

"Oh, shit. I have painkillers if you want some. They are strong though. I used to take them for my migraines. I still carry some, just in case".

His friend nodded. "It's the thigh injury again. It's getting just plain annoying now".

Blaine nodded. "Okay. I'll get you something to swallow it down with".

Hadley managed a small smile. "Thank you. I do appreciate you, I do. Thanks honey".

Blaine nodded, winked, and left to get a drink.

***

Hadley was now in her apartment block, and showing Adam to his temporary apartment, in the same block. It was 4 am, she was tired, and yet, she had eaten so much pizza that she didn't want to lie down.

She got a call from Finch, telling her that she had the next few days off, and that Adam and Malik had agreed to take on some of the assignments that were given to her. She thanked him for that.

Hadley had gotten the apartment key card. and gave it to Adam. He nodded and took it, before entering.

***

The apartment was huge, and felt eerie. The walls were granite coloured, and the floor was black marble, with silver flecks ingrained into it. Pewter carpets and furnishings made the large space feel cold, uninviting. Then again. Adam knew he wouldn't be there for too long, and he preferred dark interiors to light. Sometimes, those huge windows in his apartment would let in so much light, that he was very glad for his shades, or he'd be blinded, and falling over the random items, scattered about the floor.

That damn table, clipped my hip on that fucker so many times, I swore it left a permanent indent in the skin. I asked Megan, but she said she couldn't see any difference.

Hadley coughed lightly and walked towards the front door. "The reception desk is always available, there are several takeaway joints, and restaurants around here that deliver, if you need anything. Rent and bills have already been paid for three months, any longer will also be covered, so no need to worry".

Adam sighed. "And who paid for that? Rent on this place must be expensive".

The woman looked away. "It's £40,000 a month. Then again, where we are, the views, and the sheer scale of the apartments, and whats in them justifies that, I think. Marble floors and onyx worktops can't be cheap".

Adam's eyes widened. "Who?"

"Edward did. And yes, Sarif did offer, and offer to pay him back, but he declined. After all, you did help in saving his daughter, so he feels like he owes you. Oh, and the shops open at 6 am. I'll be sleeping, catching up on it. Not had a decent nights rest in about two weeks. Feel like I could sleep for years and I'd still be knackered".

Adam retracted his shades and nodded. "Tell me about it. Sleep is overrated, what we do dictates that. We cannot sleep if there is a job to do, and there'salways something".

Hadley tilted her head. "That's a little cynical, but true. I'm gonna go. Did you take the Seoul mission?"

He nodded. "Yeah, headed there in two days. Need to talk to Sarif and Finch first though".

Hadley nodded and walked out the front door. "Got it. Alright, see ya".

She waved and left his apartment.

***

2 and a half years ago

"Dammit Adam, I told you why I used your DNA. I needed too, don't you see that?"

Adam growled and lent on the door frame of his bedroom. "No, I don't. Why couldn't you have asked? I don't get that at all".

Megan sighed. "I couldn't. You were always busy, the research team were pushed for time and we couldn't find a viable sample. But you were. We needed results Adam, and we got them".

The agent spied a gym bag, filled with his ex-girlfriends possessions and he flipped out. "Seriously? You're just going to walk? You've changed Megan. The old you would never have backed down. Yes, you would have considered it, but you never would have actually done it".

Megan scoffed, and tied back her hair. "And you haven't? Look at you, a hunk of metal. You should be thankful for what Sarif did. He could have let you rot among the bodies of our colleagues, our friends, Adam. But he didn't. And without that research, no one would have known that you didn't need Neuropozene. So that research that you so love to scorn, was the most important thing we did. The old you wasn't a cynical fuck, so don't pretend you haven't changed for the worse, either".

Adam was stunned, mortified at what this woman, whom he no longer saw as anything other than a vile, contemptuous bitch, was saying. He held his head and walked around her, to sit on the sofa. He picked up a tumbler and started squeezing it.

"You think I enjoy being like this? No! It's torture. You think I enjoy having to get my fucking head rebooted, my eye calibrated, my arms and legs oiled just so I can move? No, I don't. Cut the bullshit Megan. Just tell me why you didn't inform me that my DNA was going to be used, to make a breakthrough in science. Don't you think I should have known? That's kinda important, huh".

The tumbler was crushed, and glass covered the floor beneath his feet.

Megan walked to the front door, and picked up her bag. "Because you didn't care. You cared about work, you cared about me, but the research? You didn't give that a second thought. I wanted you to know, I really did, but then the attack happened, and I didn't even know if you had survived it. I saw you get shot Adam, I saw you get hurt, and all because of my research. Now you know. I'm no saint, you always knew that, but neither are you. I don't even recognise you anymore, and it isn't the augments that I am talking about".

Adam grabbed another tumbler and filled it with bourbon. "Really? That isn't an excuse. You had time, you had hours before the attack to just tell me. Yes I would have been a bit angry, but I wouldn't have lashed out. I want to know one more thing, before you go. Why were you so cold to me that day? I tried to comfort you, I knew how nervous you were, and how important this was to you, but you just walked away. All I wanted to do was hold you, but you wouldn't even let me do that. I'm sorry Megan, I've made many mistakes, and I can't take any of them back. Just take care, alright. I don't hate you, I just can't comprehend what happened, and I can't get over it, god knows I've tried".

Megan sighed, and had a small smile on her face. "We've both made mistakes Adam. I, I couldn't even look you in the eye that day, because of what I did. I couldn't let you hold me, as you would know, you just would, that I was keeping something from you. You knew how to read me like a book. I'm sorry too Adam. I really am. You're bringing out the worst in me, and that just isn't right. I never thought we could get back together, but I had hoped that we could talk it through. Discuss all of it, openly. We'll be okay, I know it doesn't seem like it, but we will. Bye Adam".

She opened the door, and walked out.

Adam lent back against the couch and looked up at the ceiling. He felt something wet, and warm leave his eye.

And for once, he let himself cry, instead of bottling it all up, and smashing things, including the mirror again.

***

Present day

Adam knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. He had too much on his mind.

The city was started to awaken, and so he chose to leave his apartment, and check it out.

He could feel a headache coming on, and his temper was flaring up. He had to get out and do something, just to stop himself from going crazy, and trashing this new, shiny apartment.

He need strong coffee, a smoke and...

...a sense of self worth would be nice.

Then again, Megan had called him a 'hunk of metal'. What if she was right? What if he was just a useless hunk of junk?

He grabbed his key, but left his comm unit.

 

He wanted to be alone, really, truly alone.


	5. Cross My Heart

"Blaine, please tell me there is a contingency plan".

Blaine started to look through the floor plan of the Weisshupt building. Hadley was currently well and truly cornered, in a room, and hiding for dear life, behind a huge metal box. He hacked the camera feeds again, and scanned through them, to count the men who were looking for her.

"Blaine? The mission went south, fast. The hostages are fine, but I am fucked".

Blaine, although he should have known better than to do so, laughed a little bit. "Well I did say there would be men, patrolling the corridors".

Hadley groaned. "Yes, but how was I supposed to know that there were fifty men, five armored mechs, and a man, who looks heavy as shit? If he hit me, it would be into next week. More importantly…".

Blaine cut her off. "Why didn't I know? They must have known that someone was coming, to rescue their prisoners, so they upped their game. They are cunning, but not so smart, otherwise, they would have spotted that I have been in their systems for hours. Amateurs, really. H?"

"Stop it Blaine, don't abbreviate my name. It isn't funny, and it isn't clever. Can I leave now? I'm getting cramp in my leg".

Her tech adviser was chewing on the lid of a pen. He was finding it really hard to not smoke. He was stressed, and stress usually equaled cigarette time in his mind.

"The floor you are on is riddled with them. They are aware, and scurrying around like rats. The only way to get to the stairwell would be if you just ran. I'll tell you when they move away from the stairwell door".

Hadley stood, and stretched her legs. "So kamikaze style? Oooh, my favourite. You know what I want on my obituary, just in case, right? In case the shit hits the fan, and I get covered in it. Shit equates to bullets in this case".

Blaine wasn't amused and his pen lid was rapidly getting destroyed. "That isn't funny. And yes, I do. You've survived a heck of a lot though. You never know, you may well make it out".

Loud shooting alerted the agents, and they both gulped audibly.

Hadley looked at the door that would lead to certain death, unless she could think up a way to distract the guards. "Blaine. I bet there is an alarm system, right? Couldn't you make that go off?"

Blaine got onto the buildings main server. "Okay, maybe they do have some brain cells. The alarm system's protection looks rather tricky. Give me a sec".

Hadley smirked. "If it only takes you a second for things to happen, you may to go and see the doctor".

Blaine rolled his eyes, and spat out the pen lid. "Got it. Right, alarm coming on in three, two, one".

***

The alarm started blaring, and all of the men could be heard, running to the server room. Hadley ran out of the room, and bolted to the stairwell door. She ran two floors down, and into the corridor. The floor was empty, save for a few muffled whimpers behind one of the doors. Hadley opened it, nodded, and the hostages came out, one by one. They were all shaking, and visibly upset.

"I'll get you guys out. I'll make sure you get looked over, treated, and get back to your loved ones, okay? There is a fire exit, but I suspect they will have that guarded too. Follow me, and don't dally. We really don't have the time to be hanging around here, for any longer than we need too".

The group nodded, and followed the agent to the fire door. She placed a silencer on her pistol, and opened the door with her foot. One man spotted her, and started to shoot. His shots missed, but it shook everyone up further, exacerbating everyone's condition. Hadley moved from her cover and shot the man in his chest. She then walked down the stairs, and grabbed the man's baton. She motioned for the hostages to join her, before she barred the door, using the baton.

"Right, stay behind me, and I mean, behind me. No running, no trying to get ahead of me, and no talking. I need to concentrate if we are all getting out of this alive. Got that? Right, come on".

Some of the group groaned at her order, and got annoyed.

"And who the hell are you to tell us what to do, hmm?"

Hadley wanted to pistol whip the bastard who spoke. But all she could do was grit her teeth. "I am the bitch who is saving your sorry asses. I am the one who is working my ass off to save all of you, when most of the world would want you to die, simply because you are bankers. I am the goddamned one who is going out of her way for all of you. So, who the hell am I? The one who gave a shit, that's who. Now are you going to follow me, or what?"

The man quieted down, and shook his head in apology. Hadley turned on her heel, and ran down the stairs.

***

When she heard voices, she panicked. They were on the first floor, mere minutes away from the exit. But those minutes were running out, and they were never meant to last forever. The seconds ticked by, before another man spoke.

"I think I can help". He opened the door to the lobby and looked to his right. "You see those packages? They are full of C4. If I can get over there, I can use the fuses and my lighter, to make it all blow up".

Hadley's eyes widened. "That's suicide you moron. You'd never make it out alive".

The man smiled woefully. "If I don't, I don't. Give this to my daughter. It's a secure bond, it entitles her to everything I own".

Hadley took the envelope and stared at it. "People dying on me is the main reason why I hate this job. I knew it could happen, but it's never easy, watching someone die".

The man walked forward and smiled again. "Then don't look. Right". He reopened the door and crouched down. He crawled over to the packages of C4, and sat down behind one of them. He signaled, for everyone to move, and started making noises. The guards were suspicious, and so walked over there. The man threw a small amount of C4 towards them….and it's fuse was lit. The guards panicked and went to run, before it blew up. But they failed. They both died instantly.

Hadley saw another signal to run, and so she gathered up the hostages and they ran. They ran for their lives, as quickly as they could. They got outside, and Blaine was sitting in one of several black Range Rovers, waiting to pick everyone up.

Six of the cars went towards the hospital, but Hadley refused to leave. She stared into the lobby, and saw many more guards, running in there. Blaine grabbed her hand, and pulled her into the car, before all of the C4 went off, and her heart sank.

She knew the man was prepared to die, but still, having it actually happen? It made her grimace and shake.

***

Blaine turned to her and growled. "What the hell were you playing at? You should never just stand there when an explosion goes off, mere meters away from you".

Hadley looked at her grimy hands and desperately tried to get the dirt out from under her nails. "I know that. But a man died today. And he shouldn't have!"

Her friend sighed. "It happens every day. It's horrible, and an injustice, but it's true. I've seen more than my fair share of people being killed, but it never gets easier. You don't just 'get used to it'. It sticks with you. The buts, what ifs? Hadley, you saved eleven people today. You did an amazing job".

"Not without you though. You are my crutch really, but, I need you. I feel achy, god I am getting old. Soon will be the day that I get replaced, by a spotty faced teen, who thinks that Edgar Allen Poe was a rap artist or something. God…..".

Blaine put his arm around her shoulder and smiled. "Well, I will get replaced too. And I know a few places in the world, that are warm, have spectacular views, and I bet living there would be amazing".

Hadley looked at him, and looked confused. "Let me get this straight. You want me, ME we are talking about, to retire with you, and go to some lovely place, to live out the rest of our lives? Together? You sure about that?"

He nodded. "You aren't that bad. You make out that you are, all teeth and claws, have the bark, and the bite. But really, you are just a fluffy kitten. Besides, you were talking about taking some time off. How about permanent time off? Retirement never sounded so good right about now".

The female agent mulled that over.

She actually liked Blaine, and despite his uncanny knack for pissing her off, and his tendency to hang on to her for dear life, as if she were his oxygen, she figured she could stand his company, for a while.

For the rest of her life though? She wasn't so sure.

And being unsure was one thing that Hadley Groves utterly despised.

***

Hadley ended up in the medical wing of the agency. Her legs were sore, she was royally fucked off, and she needed a drink. Anything, even if it were that weak, vile stuff that they called 'coffee' here.

***

Hobbling back to the office (mostly for effect, she wasn't that hurt) she saw a few pen caps on the floor. They were mangled and chewed on. She stepped over them and walked to her laptop.

After reading a few emails, she remembered that she needed to give that secure bond in her pocket to the daughter of the man who died. But she had no clue on where she lived, or who she was. She'd have to open it. It would be a massive invasion of privacy, but she needed to find the woman's name, address, anything she could use to trace her.

When she found a name, she typed it in, and found a few women by that name. She decided to wait for Blaine, so he could help with her search, narrow it down.

She sat there, with her lukewarm, disgusting cup of coffee, and recollected what had happened that day.

That man only mentioned his daughter as family. Didn't he have anyone else? That saddened Hadley, who realised that now, his poor daughter no longer had a father. He may have been the only family she had.

It had been a long time since anyone had died on Hadley's watch. But it killed her inside, tortured and plagued her mind.

The agent put her head on her desk, and cried.

For the first time in a long while, the tears flowed freely, and she let them.

 

She needed too.


	6. And Hope Not To Die

One month later

 

Adam and Hadley were in the gym, training. A couple of sparring matches later, and Hadley was obviously bored.

"Come on, big guy. What do I have to do to get you to really fight me?"

Adam shook his head and wiped his forehead with a towel. Hadley smirked.

"Oh, it's like that it is? By the way, you are awfully slow. Need to lay off on the carbs, big guy".

That did it. Adam threw himself at the gloating agent, who quickly stopped laughing and started fighting back.

"I'm not being told everything, and I dislike that".

Hadley shrugged, before moving, to parry a punch. "Neither am I. What? You think I know things? I barely know what the fuck is on the lunch menu here half the time. Things are classified, or information is restricted for a reason Adam, you should know that".

Adam frowned and kept on glaring at her. His annoyance wasn't getting through, with his shades covering his eyes, so he retracted them. Hadley was taken by surprise when he did this, so he took advantage of that. He grabbed one of her arms, and swung it behind her back. She struggled. But with the iron grip he had on her, there was no way she was getting out of this one.

"What it is with men hugging me all of a sudden? I don't like it. Oh I know. Get your tech guy to hack our systems and find what you seek. Oh, right, he's STILL ill. Sorry big guy".

Adam shook his head several times. "Stop calling me big guy!"

His sparring partner merely laughed mockingly at him. "Well you are rather large. So what am I supposed to call you, hmm?"

Adam let go of Hadley's arm, walked over to a wall, and destroyed it with a punch. He turned back around, and Hadley flinched.

"Jesus, you could wreck me. Okay, I concede defeat. No hard feelings?"

Adam considered this, and Hadley noticed his reservation to walk over, so she put her hands up. "I'll take you out. Get you a pint of good ol' English beer, to make up for my teasing".

The ex-SWAT agent walked on back to Hadley. She went to the bench, where her towel was situated and picked up her comm. She tuned it in to the clean-up crew's frequency.

"Clean up on aisle five boys".

The men all sighed and grumbled. "What now? Every damn you visit the gym, something needs fixing, or replacing".

"Be nice boys, we have a visitor, and a rather large one at that".

Adam had had enough, and was livid now. It was obvious that Hadley was doing this on purpose. But he really wasn't in the mood to be frolicking around in a meadow, full of damn flowers.

The fuck am I thinking? Shit, she's got me at a loss here.

Hadley ran from him, but she caught up. She ran into one of the office areas that was still being constructed.

"Not so slow after all. So pissing you off is how to get you to fight dirty huh. Figures, I should have worked that out. Maybe I have lost my edge. Sharpen it for me, would you? It's kind of important, you know, to mess people over, good and proper and have them gunning for me, or wanting my head in a burlap sack".

Adam almost let himself smirk. She had a sense of humour that would make most people blush, and shy away. But not him. He was used to this type, having worked with many men, who always threw around jokes messing around with someone or other.

But he had never heard a woman, with this much gall, and so brazen, as to just say things, such as that. Did she even think before she said these things? He did wonder for a few seconds.

Probably not.

Hadley shouted. "What are you thinking about hmm? I know what I am, and it's rather unsavoury. Wonder if you really are big?"

Adam shook his head, forcing back the urge to smirk again, and started fighting with her again.

"That always riles them up. You mention size, and they either show you, or try and get out of the conversation. Glad you are shower, can't stand wimps. It's only a fucking question, I'm not going to rip down you pants and…..oh Sir!"

Edward coughed lightly, but still intruded on the interesting little conversation going on.

"Hadley, Adam, we need to rendezvous. My office, now".

Her boss' usually calm tone, was now one of frustration, and possible anger, and it worried her. She and Adam quickly hurried into the elevator, and went up to Mr Finch's office.

***

When they arrived, Edward was tapping his foot and was visibly upset. He looked at Adam, and he felt the blood chill in his veins.

"Adam, I regret to inform you that there has been another attack on Sarif Industries. Almost everyone escaped unharmed".

Adam froze. It happened again. He went numb, and started to shake. But it wasn't out of anger, or vitriol.

It was from fear.

Paralyzing, devastating, panic inflicting fear. This wasn't what he needed, not now. Not ever.

When he worked up some want to speak, he still had to force out his words.

"Almost everyone?"

Edward looked glum. "Yes. David's chief pilot, I believe her name was….".

Adam felt his heart stop. "Malik Sir, her name is Malik".

The older man nodded. "Well she is badly injured, but was rescued, just in time. Sarif says he is fine, but I highly doubt that. He's still in shock. This type of thing happening once is horrific. But twice? I am so very sorry Adam".

The augmented man couldn't move. He couldn't summon up even the tiniest amount of energy, to make his limbs work. Despite their appearance, and added 'extras' to make them even stronger, and more reliable, useful, they felt like dead weights to him, useless instead.

Hadley put a chair behind him, and helped him sit down. He hissed at her, and then the words came out.

All of his inner rage and pain was unleashed onto her, and she could never have prepared for such a deluge.

"Why the fuck do you care, hm? You don't care about anyone other than yourself. All of a sudden, something happens, and THEN you care? Don't give me any of that bullshit, I've had enough of it. Leave me alone. I am leaving for Detroit, the first chance I get".

Hadley blinked rapidly, and looked away, to avoid his wrath laden gaze. Blaine walked in, and he realised that something was drastically wrong here. Adam stood back up, and went to grab the agent, by her throat, but Blaine got in front of her and punched Adam in his gut.

All that could be heard was Edward shouting, and Adam hissing. It was like time had stopped almost. Everything was moving in slow motion, every move slowed down. Until Blaine shouted, and brought everyone back down to Earth, and the reality of the situation.

"Don't you lay a finger on her, you augmented freak. Why Hadley even wants to know you is still a mystery to me. You dare touch her again, and I will kill you, you fucked up, son of a bitch".

Edward snarled and bellowed out his words, louder than anyone had ever heard him shout before. "DAMMIT BLAINE. Everybody, calm down, please! Hadley, go, I'll send someone with you, to take you back to your apartment. Blaine, you're fired".

Hadley looked around the room, nodded, and walked out. Blaine was wide eyed, and still out of it. His adrenaline had kicked in, and he wanted to fight, not flee.

"What? Seriously?"

His now 'ex' boss nodded. "Yes, I am serious. Ever since Hadley met Adam, you've been acting up, odd, and it's getting suspicious. I get that you have known each other for a long time, and that you care for her, but you cannot do things like this, and expect not to be admonished. Pack up your things and leave, this instant. Nothing more needs to be said. Dismissed!"

Blaine looked at Adam, and shook his head, before leaving the office.

***

When he reached his office, he collected all of his belongings, and wrote an email for Hadley, when she returned. He didn't know what to say, but he wanted to come up with something, so he thought in it for a while.

Hadley.

I'm so sorry. I've ruined everything. You always forgave me, I never deserved it, but you did. This time though? I really don't deserve it. I messed up bad, and destroyed over thirteen years of friendship. I'm going to retire, well, I have been forced to retire.

I know I'll never see you again, or on that beach resort that I will end up at, but.

Just live, and keep on fighting, please. Not just for me, but for Finch, your family, and more importantly, yourself. And take care. And by that, no, I don't mean staying up till six am, and eating pizza, and the coming in to work, having had no sleep, and still with a belly full of pizza. Seriously, you ended up asleep, and then you woke up, and threw up everywhere.

I've gone off track again, haven't I?

Anyway. Tell Adam I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lashed out, but I only wanted to protect you. With misplaced intentions, granted, but…..well, I will miss you, terribly. You were always a source of entertainment for me, and you kept me on my toes.

I need to go. Take care sweetheart.

Blaine. x

***

Blaine left the office, and the building, that he had called his second home, for over fifteen years. He felt emotion well up in his eyes, but quickly rubbed it away with his spare hand.

He hailed a taxi, and only after he got in did all of it sink in. The gravity of it all finally sank in.

Due to his own stupidity, his foolishness, he would never again see the one woman who he gave a damn about, since his wife. He'd never get to hear her rant, or laugh, or see her smile.

It was getting too much, and his quivering bottom lip was a sign that he was going to cry. To whinge and sob, like a baby, for a good few hours.

He was falling down. He no longer had his crutch, his anchor to this cruel, bitter world. He no longer had a job, nothing.

All he had left, was vice.

Edward and Adam be damned! He was going to smoke every last damn poisonous cigarette he could find in his house. Get that fix of nicotine and tar, deep into his bloodstream. He no longer cared if it killed him from the inside.

 

The wounds were already too deep in his heart, and he was done trying to patch them up.


	7. Honesty Kills

Three months later

 

Sarif paced back and forth in his office. Malik was well on her way to making a full recovery. But he wasn't celebrating.

Adam had gone rogue. MIA. Nothing had been heard from him in over two months. No one had seen him, or had any contact with him.

And with Pritchard only just starting to feel any better, despite his protests at wanting to get back to work, David simply couldn't bring himself to tell the tech guy that Adam could be dead.

Sarif was worried sick. He knew that Adam would want some time alone, to process what had happened, but he hadn't realised just how fragile the ex-SWAT man was. He could be dead, for all his boss knew, and that shook him to the core.

It wasn't the fact that he spent billions of credits, reconstructing a broken, shattered man, into something altogether better, and more efficient that bothered him. The cost meant nothing.

It was the fact that he may well have lost the best damn agent he had ever employed.

His pacing stopped, when Athene knocked quietly on his door.

Sarif sat back down and managed to swallow down a groan. His head started to hurt, and he was rapidly losing faith in his, seemingly, still broken agent.

***

Hadley sat, in the City Of Westminster Police building, with her legs and arms crossed. She was cross, very crossed, at a certain middle aged man, who had decided to act like an utter fool, and go and get himself arrested.

After an unbearably long wait, and with Hadley biting the inside of her cheek, just to stop from breaking something in frustration, she was allowed into the interview room, where a snickering Blaine sat.

"Laughing, really now Blaine? This situation certainly does not constitute laughing. What happened?"

Not what he said, but how he said it frightened the agent. "What? Never gotten into trouble with the law Hadley? You break the law all the time, in your job. It's no different".

His words were slurred, and he sounded, and looked sleep deprived. "Have you been drinking? This isn't like you".

Blaine laughed, and smirked at her. But it was one with intent, nasty intent. One she had never seen before. "What makes you say that, hmm?"

Hadley rolled her eyes. "First off, you sound wired, off your face on something, and if it's not alcohol, then...what have you been smoking?"

Blaine blew a long stream of smoke in her direction. She coughed, grimaced, and pinched her nose. "Oh god, weed. You know I hate that. Fuck, it's messing with your head. It's a drug for a reason Blaine. I know people use it, for recreational use, but this doesn't qualify as 'recreational'".

Her male counterpart stood up and lent on the table, with his arms folded. "What? Just because I have the gall to finally say what's on my mind? Fuck off Hadley. I can do what I want, smoke what I damn well want, and YOU have no say in it. You were important to me. Now? You're just another backstabbing bitch, who thinks it's fine to just walk all over me, and then wonder why I get pissed off".

Hadley, from the sheer audacity of his words, stood up and slapped him. He held his cheek, but kept his dangerous smirk. "Oh, I get it. When Aaddaamm smokes and drinks, that's fine. But when I do it, it's a joke right? Laugh it up Hadley. Ha, bet he had you, didn't he? Bet he was in your pants faster than a fly on a fresh pile of shit, right?"

Hadley slapped him again. "NO! What's gotten into you? No, he hasn't. He's been in Detroit, all this time. I can prove it".

Blaine moved further towards her, and she moved her head back. "The truths gonna hurt H, but you know what? Screw it. I wanted to be the one who got to screw you. I wanted to be the one who made you happy. I wanted to be the one, who made you smile, and made you feel safe. But then some fucker, who's clearly an asshole, I just don't know why you don't see it, got to do all those things first. I've waited nearly ten years for you. TEN DAMN YEARS for you, but no. No, you just string me along, all the damn time. May as well strangle me with the string Hadley".

Hadley sat down again, and bit her lip. She felt her eyes well up, and grunted. "You're already doing that to yourself Blaine. I didn't know, okay? I didn't, trust me on that. I've never had any man give a shit about me, not other than, nice tits, and ass".

Blaine sat back down and held the table, gripping it so hard that his knuckles turned white. "Yeah, because every man in the office picked you up, or held you when you cried, or helped you, when you fell down. I did Hadley. I did because I care. You aren't just tits and ass to me. Although, you do have one hell on an ass, just saying".

Hadley wasn't able to process this very well. She just stared at him, with eyes like a deer in headlights. "I, I, aw shit. Why did you wait this long to tell me? And don't say it's because you thought I was seeing other guys, because you know damn well that isn't true".

Blaine relaxed his fingers and frowned. "You know, rules and stuff. I couldn't act on it, even if I wanted too. The amount of times I just wanted to blurt it out, hold you, never let you go. But I couldn't. Hadley, I".

She cut him off. "Don't say it, please don't. Don't put me under so much pressure. I'd rather deal with a bomb than, than this!"

Blaine stood up again, and walked to the other side of the table. He knelt down, besides Hadley's chair. "I love you Hadley. I know you don't want to hear it, but I do. Sometime, if I ever see you again, I'll tell you why I do. Why I still do".

Hadley linked her fingers and looked away, feeling shy for the first time in years. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. Please, don't...just let me go. Hell, I've probably sealed up, it's been that long since I had sex. I'm like a nun now, all I need is the habit".

Her friend chuckled and tentatively put his hands on-top of hers. "See, despite this, despite what I just said, you still smile, and make it dirty. Just think on it, okay? And if Adam does show up, and you want to be with him, then fine. I'll just have to learn to accept that. I shouldn't have accused you of sleeping with him, that was harsh of me. I'm sorry".

The corner of Hadley's mouth quirked into a smile. "I know. Let me think about it. That may not be what you want to hear, but I've always been honest with you. You deserve that, at least".

He nodded, and took his hands away. "Okay. Right then, I had better get myself out of this then, hadn't I?"

That reminded the agent of her first question. "What the hell happened anyway?"

"A guy hit my car. I got annoyed, he got out of his car, started throwing punches. The Police were called and they knew immediately that I had been smoking something I shouldn't, and so, they arrested me".

Hadley looked at her friend's face and frowned. His cheek was turning red, from her slaps. "Sorry about those".

Blaine shrugged. "Nah, I was being creepy. I'm the one who should be sorry". He put his hands behind his head and grimaced. "So, we'd better tell Finch about this, right? It is protocol, after all".

Hadley nodded. "Yes. It won't go down well, I can assure you. Never seen Finch when he is angry. Look, I need to be going. I'll see if I can do something about this, bail you out. Just, please, look after yourself. I'd hate to see that you are spiraling out of control, and all because of me. I am not worth the trouble".

Blaine sighed, and stood up. He put his arms around the agent, who returned the gesture. "Bye for now".

She stood up, and left the room, and a Police officer entered the room after she's gone.

Bye Hadley...

***

Hadley arrived back at MI5 Headquarters within the hour, and reluctantly stepped into the elevator. She pressed the button for Edward's office, and felt goosebumps rise on her arms, and the hair of the back of her neck stood on end.

What if Finch lost it? What if he walked out, or worse, had Blaine assassinated? He had the means to do so, the power to execute such an order. But could/would he do it?

All the agent could do was muster some courage, and walk into his office, head held high.

***

"Sir?"

Edward looked up and smiled. "Yes Hadley?"

"I have some news, and I doubt highly that you'll like it".

Her boss nodded, so she continued. "Sir, Blaine's been arrested. I just went to see him".

Edward's face went a shade of red that she had never seen before, and she gulped. "On what charge?"

"He says a man drove into his car and...".

Edward tutted and sighed. "Skip the formalities, and get to the point. Why was he arrested?"

Hadley gulped again. "He's been smoking illegal substances. He's high as a kite right now".

Her boss looked at the floor. "I apologise Hadley. You were only looking out for him, and yet, I took it out on you. What on Earth is he playing at, the fool? Take the rest of the day off Hadley, you look like you need it".

Hadley agreed. "I need a stiff drink too. Oh, by the way, have you heard anything from Sarif yet?"

Edward smiled knowingly. "As in about the aftermath of the attack? Or as in about Adam? You seem quite interested in him".

His agent groaned. "Sir, can we not have this conversation? I've had a really strange day, and I just want to go home, chill, and crack open a bottle of wine, or two".

Edward waved her off, so she left the office.

***

When she arrived back home, she saw a light, blinking on her laptop. She opened a bottle of red, poured some into a glass, and sat in her office chair.

It was an email notification, and it was from Adam. He'd used an encrypted IP address, and a fake email address.

Seemingly to cover his tracks? Just where has he been?

That surprised her. What surprised her even more, was what it said:

Hadley

I'm on my way back. Don't tell anyone. Meet me in my apartment tomorrow. 15:00.

Delete this after you read it.

Adam

Hadley drank some wine, and continued to look at the email.

If you didn't use you Sarif email address, or their IP address, just what the hell were you doing? More important, where the hell where you?

 

Goddammit Adam. You have me worried now. You and Blaine need me, and I'm not sure how much more I can take.


	8. Russian Roulette

Hadley walked into Adam's temporary apartment, and started to fidget. His shades hadn't been retracted yet, so she couldn't tell what the man was thinking. She just stood there, looking like an idiot, until he spoke.

"The bastards that attacked Sarif. They are the ones stealing your information".

Hadley's jaw dropped. "Shit, so it is true. The breach in security will have massive implications. The Government will act, and this will all go to pot, unless we can plug the source". She put on her comm and tapped her foot. "James, James, come on you lazy fucker. Pick up".

James, her new tech guy just had to be useless at the job. It made the agent miss Blaine that little bit more.

James sounded like he was eating, when he finally picked up. "What?"

Hadley growled. "Don't be so nonchalant, idiot. There is a security breach! Find it, now!"

James let out a gasp and quickly opened up M15's data banks. He did indeed, find a hole, a catastrophic flaw in the system. Someone was going through vast amounts of extremely sensitive info, and at a rapid rate. James had to plug that hole and fast. He started typing up codes, only for them to be deleted, seconds later. He growled and continued typing, impossibly fast. He needed to reinforce the measures, to stop anyone from ever getting access to such intelligence.

***

After a few aggravating minutes, Hadley looked at Adam, and shook her head. "I'm sorry. How's Malik and Sarif?"

Adam let his shades retract. "They're both fine. You're not though".

Hadley tutted. "Point out the obvious. why don't you? No, I am not fine. Things are screwed and I am rapidly losing patience".

James chimed in, with news that made her sigh with relief. "The hole's plugged. I traced the IP address, before they shut down the operation. It's the Russians Hadley. Seems they heard about the raid in Armenia, and they want their drugs back".

Hadley groaned and held her head. "Well of course they do. I'd be surprised if they didn't. So I assume that they attacked Sarif, because they know that Adam and he ended up involved in said raid".

Adam sat opposite the agent, and nodded. "Someone must have gotten out, when I was sneaking through the building. They knew everything. Where in Russia did the signal come from?"

James slurped his coffee, making both agents roll their eyes, before answering. "Novosibirsk. I'll get a hold of Mike, he's our pilot, by the way. Tomorrow, nine am sharp, he'll be there to take you to Novosibirsk".

"Thanks James". Hadley turned off her comm and took it out. "James is such an amateur. Blaine wold have solved the problem much quicker than he did".

Adam looked confused. "You really miss him, don't you?"

She nodded. "I do. James was supposed to train under Blaine, but he skipped about twenty classes. Why he is even still around baffles me. Must be Edward's doing. I hate to say it, but he's getting desperate. Everything bad is happening, all at once. I know we deal with issues in London, and across the world, but sometimes, when there are that many, it does get on top of you, you know?"

Adam knew, oh he definitely knew about that. Many, many times, he had to make multiple decisions, in split seconds, to solve deadly, demanding problems. But they all demanded his attention, and he was only one man. He couldn't help everyone. He couldn't save everyone. But no one seemed to understand that.

People just waited until someone had died, regardless of how many people were saved, so they could jump on him, and verbally abuse him, to the point where it drove him insane.

Many times, Adam had considered suicide. Throwing away his grief, anger, misery, destroying all of what Sarif did to save him after the first attack. But he couldn't slit his wrists, painkillers would only numb him so much, but they wouldn't be able to kill. And alcohol? He couldn't stomach enough to kill himself.

Hadley standing up caught his attention. "I know that feeling. You do all you can, and yet, it's never enough. It never feels like enough. You end up resenting yourself afterwards, for not doing something different. Maybe it could have solved the problem, fixed the issues, saved more people. But I realised that there is no point dwelling on it. That's why I left, and didn't keep in touch. I needed to think, and be alone. Truly alone. Sarif will have gone crazy, but I needed time away. Away from all of this...".

He looked down, at the fluffy black rug and sighed. "I'm glad you have come to terms with that. I'll need some help with the Russia mission. I'm am not hinting, I am just asking, okay?"

Adam's mouth quirked into a small smile. She was trying her best to be nice, and understanding.

But no one would ever understand him, or what he felt inside.

When you are so numb, that you barely feel anything at all, or when you do, it's fleeting, can severely damage a person.

But Adam was already seriously injured. His body may not show his torment, and pain, but he felt it, rooted deep within his body. He grunted and shifted, trying not to attract attention. But Hadley's keen eyes picked up on his discomfort.

"Hey. Do you need upgrading, or calibrating? I can take you to the L.I.M.B clinic if you wish".

Adam nodded. His arms, legs and head had been acting up a little. When he tried to move something, or grab something, he'd feel a spasm shooting down his arm. And if he walked or ran for too long, his legs would start to ache, and so would his hips. His head hurt when he tried to think, remember things.

He did need help, and if Frank was too ill, he'd have to accept Hadley's offer of help.

"Woah there. Lean on me. The clinic's not far from here".

He stood, lent against the agent, and they left his apartment and headed for the elevator.

***

The next day, the pair stood in front of Edward's desk, and a man stood beside it.

"Adam, this is Michael Sunderland. He is our chief pilot".

Adam and Michael gave a curt nod at each other.

"Sir, do we have the targets names?"

Edward nodded and put the targets photos and information on the big screen to his left.

"Anton Dobrev, runs a drug cartel, with Valentin Alkalev. The two frequent a strip club called the Golden Den. Adam, I need you to subdue, and bring Dobrev back to the helicopter, and Hadley, I need you to talk with Valentin. He runs the show, although he likes to make it look like he doesn't. Make him listen, and then find a way to subdue him, and bring him back to the helicopter as well. We need them both alive. We need to interrogate them".

Adam, Mike and Hadley nodded, and left the office.

***

Ten hours later

Hadley sat in the Golden Den strip-club, in Novosibirsk, Russia. She was waiting for her target, Valentin Alkalev, a smuggler in Class A drugs, and information broker to show up. She had to admit, meeting a man, capable of dealing with the most sensitive of information would prove rather interesting.

If she could get him to talk, however. He was a tough nut to crack, and even punishment, after he had been captured, only yielded some information. And that proved fruitless.

So, it would, indeed be an interesting night for the agent.

***

Valentin showed up a little late, and brought a gun, that he thought he had so perfectly concealed.

Wonderful. Though I enjoy a bit of sparring much more than instant death.

The ash blond haired man spotted her and sat down, waving his hand, to one of the serving girls. She sauntered over, and as she lent down, to listen to him, he got a good look at her ample cleavage. Hadley smirked, behind her glass of Kraken rum.

"What have you got there darlin'?"

Hadley looked at him, and tilted her head. "Rum, the darkest, spiciest one they had in this, ahem, 'fine' establishment".

Valentin nodded and ordered the same drink. The girl nodded and walked away.

***

Christ, the serving girls here look twelve. That's disgusting. I'm all for getting your jollies, but...

Her green eyed admirer looked at her quizzically. "What's that pretty little head thinking about, hmm?"

"Just wondering if the place has any men. I am practically gagging for it". She couldn't help letting out a childish giggle. "Hah, I can't say that with a straight face".

Valentin growled, closed his eyes, and chuckled darkly.

"Oh? You don't even know me, and yet, that sounded jealous".

As if someone had read her mind, a male stripper came out from the dressing room, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist.

The man had strong shoulders, a medium build body, and powerful looking legs...

Hadley's eyes widened, and she deliberately moaned. She had to make Valentin jealous, so she could take him outside, corner him, and knock him out. So she was doing everything in her power to do this, and using almost all of her feminine wiles.

And it was working, her target was practically grinding his teeth, and when his drink arrived, he swallowed it down in two big gulps. "What am I even here for? A fucking pissing contest? What the hell do you want?"

Hadley bit her cheek and sighed. "Are you really that dense? I want a fuck. But it seems all you want to do is stare at another woman's tits. Women have tits you know, it's not uncommon".

Now it was Valentin's time to squirm and grin. "Now who sounds jealous, mmm? Look. You're cute'n'all, but I'm not in the mood".

The woman laughed aloud, and uncrossed her legs. "Cute? Fuck me. Cute is what you call a puppy, or a kitten. Not a woman who is trying to get in your pants. Have you no shame?"

The man's devilish green eyes board hole in her wide grey eyes. "Okay, I admit it. I'd do you. But what's in it for me? Sex is dull unless there is something in it for both of us".

The agent smiled and lent forward, giving him just a hint of her cleavage. "Both of us? Aw, how thoughtful. Tell you what. I'll give you a million credits for every time you make me scream. And in return, I don't want any games, any bullshit, any talking, nothing. I just want to get down and dirty. Do you have an apartment? A hotel room perhaps?"

Valentin nodded, but pulled away from her grasp. She blinked. "Ah. So it's the fight that gets you hard, and the kill shot that makes you spurt". She lent closer. "I know you have a gun". She gestured to his belt. "Shoot me then".

James groaned down her ear. "Shit, how did Blaine cope with this? You're making me hot".

"Nuh uh, my dear. Wouldn't want to spoil that body now. I don't want to splatter your blood and brains everywhere, ruin that pretty little skull".

Valentin went to kiss her, but the agent tutted and shook her head. "Nuh uh. Don't kiss me unless you plan on using that mouth somewhere else".

The Russian held back a groan and grabbed her hand. He pulled her out of the club, before returning to pay for his drink.

***

Hadley, when out of sight, laughed darkly, and whispered back to James. "By the way, he likely turned off his comm, dealt with the heat himself, all over that floor that your feet are on, right now, little boy".

James' feet shot up and he screeched. "FUCK YOU, that's disgusting!" Hadley laughed, and heard his horrified mumbling. "He could have at least gone to the toilet and done it. Urgh. And stop calling me little boy, it's demeaning".

The agent shrugged. "You are eighteen. In my book, that's little boy status, right there".

Her new tech guy asked a question that you should NEVER ask a lady, but it didn't make her angry. She knew it was inexperience. No malice or joking was behind his question. "Why? How old are you?"

"Old, sweetie, very old. That's all you need to know...ugh okay, since you asked so nicely, I'm thirty-eight".

James gasped. "No way. You look maximum, like twenty-five".

Hadley heard footfalls and turned down her comm volume.

***

Valentin, once the pair had gotten away from the public's prying eyes, latched on to Hadley's neck, biting it fiercely. She tried to suppress her sounds, but it had been a very long time since she had been with anyone, that her body liked his ministrations, despite them being morally wrong.

Then the Russian looked her, dead in the eye, and it was then that she noticed that his eyes were cold. Nothing lay in them. No emotion shone through them. They were just green pools of nothingness.

I know Adam's eyes are augmented, but at least he has a soul, and shows emotion. He'd dispute that, but he does.

A knee, lodging itself between her legs brought her back to reality and she stared at the offending limb. "You look like you've never done this before".

Hadley reached behind her back, and pulled out a syringe, that she had concealed, in case of emergency. Within it, there was a drug that would make Valentin fall asleep.

Valentin looked at it, and an eyebrow arched. "And what is that?"

"It'll help us relax. I'm a little out of practice here".

What the man said next really angered her. "Out of your depth, huh? Come on, little bitch, I can see the inner slut in you wants to get out. Let it out".

Oh that's it...

Hadley smirked and shoved the needle into the man's neck. "And I was trying so hard to be nice. Night night, asshole".

Valentin slumped down and his eyelids fluttered closed.

***

Hadley adjusted her comm's volume and it was automatically patched it through to Adam.

"I've got Valentin. Did you find Dobrev?"

Adam looked at the unconscious man's body in the helicopter. "Yeah. Where are you?"

Hadley hauled her target up, and checked no one was around. "Good job he's light, ugh. I'm on my way. Tell Mike to ready the helicopter. Oh, and Adam?"

Adam told Mike, who went and sat back in the pilot's seat, and then pulled out a pack of cigarettes. "What?"

Hadley smiled. "Thanks. You didn't have to help me, but you did. I owe you one mister. I owe you one, big time. I'll buy you those drinks I promised. See you soon".

He smiled and lit up a cigarette.

The mission had been a success, but knowing the way his and Hadley's jobs worked, who knows what would happen next?

Their jobs were certainly not predictable, or dull.

They were horrible, certainly not for the faint of heart.

But, someone had to do them, even if they really didn't want too.

 

Someone had to clean society of it's vermin, it's scum, after all.


	9. Rain Life Upon Me

After getting into the helicopter, Hadley felt drained, exhausted, but Adam seemed to perk up, and wanted to talk. Part of the agent wanted to entertain him. The other part wanted to strangle him.

"What happened whilst I was gone?"

Hadley huffed. "Well, Finch has gone crazy, Blaine got arrested, and when I went to visit him, he told me he loved me. That was unexpected".

Adam smirked. "Really? Even I saw that he did".

The women groaned. "What?"

Adam looked at her, and nodded. "Picking you up, the way he looks at you, the way he talks, it's obvious".

Hadley grimaced and smacked her forehead a few times. "Am I really that stupid? I've never been in a relationship, and there were no men in my family, so I genuinely don't know how men are supposed to act. I just thought he was being friendly".

"Men don't act the way Blaine does, if they simply just like you. I know". The thought of Megan, and what they had hurt him a little inside, but of course, Hadley would never see that, nor would the rest of the world.

Hadley looked at him, and felt something was wrong. Although, broaching the subject of love with Adam would be like defusing a bomb, that had ten seconds left on it's timer, before it exploded. It would be dangerous. She wasn't sure on how to approach the topic, and really wanted to change it.

Adam looked back at her and knew, without needing the help of his augments, that she was very uncomfortable with the topic. She shrugged.

"What? I don't want to piss you off. I'm giving niceness my all".

The ex SWAT man looked away and felt a grin pulling at his mouth. "Hah, I'm trying not to piss myself off. Don't need you trying too".

The Brit felt the urge to grin too, and barely suppressed it. "Hah. Okay. What's love like? I mean, I have heard the crap about it feeling like you are floating, and it's like rainbows are in the sky, so you feel euphoric all the time. But that is complete and utter bullshit, right? Please tell me it is, it sounds like an LSD trip gone wrong".

The question made Adam gulp. A solid lump formed in his throat, and it didn't seem to want to budge. He tried to grunt inconspicuously, but failed in spectacular fashion, and started coughing violently. Hadley jumped and put her hand on his back. She smacked it a few times, before mechanical fingers stopped her.

"Hey, you really don't have to talk about it. I can tell this Megan meant a lot to you. And don't want you to ever feel pressured, when speaking to me. You don't have to answer my questions, trust me, I won't get prissy or start shouting at you".

Adam's C.A.S.I.E aug highlighted Hadley's face, and it was turning red. Her hand was still on his back, and he shifted nervously. He couldn't pinpoint why exactly he felt nervous.

Then again. It has been a long time since any woman dared to get that close. I never let them get close, even. Why would they try if I won't let them?

Hadley extracted her hand and put it on her lap. She looked at her watch and groaned.

Brilliant. Only eight more hours of awkwardness.

A wave of tiredness hit her and she rubbed her eyes.

"Look, Adam. I'd hate to spoil the fun, but I really need some sleep".

The agent let her head rest against the padding of the helicopter wall, and shut her eyes.

Adam tried to do the same, but despite feeling exhausted, he just couldn't rest.

He simply lent back, closed his eyes, and sat in contemplative silence.

***

17 hours later

Hadley and Adam stood in Finch's office. Both had been allowed to go back to their apartments after they'd arrived back in London, as they were falling asleep every few minutes, and were not in a fit state for the mission overview.

Now came the nitty-gritty of the situation, and Edward was twiddling his thumbs. "Alkalev and Dobrev aren't giving us anything. I sincerely hoped the reports lacked information for a reason. And they do, because no information has ever been given, by either party. Frustration is not a strong enough word".

Hadley looked at her boss, and had a potentially deadly idea, brewing in her mind. Her brain flipped the idea about again and again. It would be something disallowed for a reason. But this situation really did warrant this problem.

"Sir, we may have to break the rules here, and give the detainees sodium pentothal".

Edward's jaw stiffened, and he stopped breathing. "That is breaking far too many rules Hadley".

Hadley placed her hands on his desk and bit down her rage. "If torturing didn't work, then what else can we do, to the get the intelligence we need? Leave them in the cells, to go mad? That would prove fruitless".

Adam was stunned. "You call yourself professional, been in the job a long time, and yet you suggest truth serum?!"

Hadley turned and her rage was boiling over. "Well, what do you suggest? Keelhauling? Water-boarding? Stringing them up? These two have been pushed to the limit, and neither revealed anything. We need answers".

Edward shook his head, and kept on shaking it. The agent was done, she had enough. "Okay, just kill them then. That should help us, shouldn't it? I am pretty sure that the documents leaked will already reveal breaches of protocol, and rule breaking. It's not like it hasn't been done here before now, is it? I'm done. Blaine's been bailed, and he's the only one that can stand me like this".

The Englishwoman walked out of the office, and held up her hands.

"Hadley, wait". Finch's voice made her stop and turn. "You're right. I have neglected to do some things by the book, sometimes, I was unknowing, but I am not innocent. Give them the serum. Get Ron to help you, he'll know the right dosage to give. Adam, can I talk with you for a second?"

Adam nodded, and Hadley walked to the elevator.

***

"Adam, I understand the implications of this, and I accept them. If I have to step down, I will. What do you think we should do? I'd like a different perspective and input on this".

"Honestly Sir?" Edward nodded. "I think you are mad, so is Hadley. There has to be a way to get information out of them, without having to resort to drugging them. My C.A.S.I.E aug can help with that".

Edward's eyes widened, and he got on his comm. "Get Hadley back, now! Your what? Does she know?"

Adam shook his head. "No, I never disclose what augments I have. They are kept privately. Only Sarif knows the full list of what I have".

Hadley walked back to the office, and stood outside. "Er Sir? What is it now?" She walked in and saw her boss staring intently at her partner. She looked at him too, and then got defensive.

"So you can read everyone, hmm?"

"Wait, what? Read? Just what the hell is in your head Adam?"

Adam didn't want to explain the fundamentals, so he paraphrased it. "My brain has what's known as a C.A.S.I.E augment in it. It can detect minute changes in brain waves, eye flickers, changes in body positioning. If someone is lying, I will know. If someone is bluffing, I'll know".

Hadley walked over to him, and bent down, tapping on his temples. "Isn't it a good job that I've never lied to you then? I'm not sure I like that, I can't even think for myself in that case...".

The now livid Adam frowned. "And you think I like it? I didn't ask for this. None of this happened with my consent. It all happened because Sarif crapped himself, and realised he would lose me unless he intervened. I woke up like this, this metal freak, and you think I like any of this? And I can't read your damn thoughts, why would I want to even? I can't keep pretending like all of this is fine, because it isn't".

He calmly stood up, and left the office. "Drugs it is then. Adam, never took you for a coward!"

Adam stopped himself retorting, but couldn't keep in his emotions anymore.

He felt his bottom lip tremble and knew he had to get away from the building, quickly.

Maybe you're right Hadley. Maybe I am a coward. Ever since this happened to me, I have fled, I chose to escape into anger. Become violent. A borderline sociopath.

I didn't ask for this, but it happened anyway. I didn't even know.

And I am tired of not being in the know anymore.

***

Hadley sat, in an interview room.

"Interview tape rolling...now. Hadley Groves, agent ID number 513947218. Interviewing a Mr Valentin Alkalev, on the 28th March, 2025, at 20:00 hours". The agent took a deep breath before continuing. Valentin slammed his hand onto the tape recorder, before she could interrogate him, and that was it.

Screw twenty years of work, I am not having this asshole beat me at my own game.

Hadley pressed the stop button, then slammed Valentin's head on the desk. "I am done with you. You were involved in Yerevan, weren't you?"

Valentin barely managed a nod.

"Good boy, finally getting something decent out of you. The men there, they were working with your group?"

Valentin made a gurgled laugh and Hadley let go of his head. He spat on the table and held his head.

"For your group? You act as liaison?"

The man nodded two times, and Hadley sighed. "Okay. How many cyber attacks have there been?"

Valentin tapped the side of his nose, knowing full well what this do, how it would affect Hadley. "Now why would I tell you that?"

Oh god.

"Okay, since you won't behave like a good little doggy, we do have other means to get you to talk. Ron? Bring the drug".

The scientist in a room not far away from their's did as he was asked.

"You never did let me do you. Why not now? You'll be dead before the day as out, so will Edward, and your precious Blaine. May as well have some fun, before you go out, with a bang".

Hadley swallowed and narrowed her eyes at him. His laugh made her feel sick, made her skin crawl. "Will we now? And how, pray tell will that happen?"

Valentin crossed his legs. "A man should be near Anton's room now. He has a concealed weapon, and will use that to kill him. Then, he will kill your men, come into this room, and kill you. There is a man, awaiting the order for Blaine's execution right now, not far away from the Police station".

Hadley shot up, grabbed her gun, and ran out of the room. She locked the door and put on her comm.

***

"Blaine! Get down!"

Blaine was in a cafe, having been let out earlier than expected, and he wasn't too impressed with Hadley's screeching down his ear. "Hey now, what's up? Why do I need to get down? I'm fine".

Hadley heaved a sigh of relief. "Okay. Someone is coming to kill you. Do not stay where you are".

Blaine huffed. "Had, I am not giving up my seat, I can see the guy trying to kill me, he can't be that well trained, clearly. And I will not stop drinking this coffee. Seriously, it's amazing. Need to bring you here at some point. I'm fine, he won't act now". He sent his location coordinates to her.

His colleague growled. "I'll get someone to take care of him". She put in a quick call, and had someone head to Blaine's location. "Everyone! This is an emergency! Secure the building, get everyone out, and guards, get to Finch, and get a squad to his family, stat! We've been compromised. I need a team here in the interview room, near room F...Ron? OH GOD, RON! Man down!"

Hadley turned off her comm, and bent down, to see Ron's stone cold dead body. She rummaged through his pockets, and found the vial of truth serum, a needle, and a syringe. Biting her lip, she let out a muffled scream, unlocked and ran inside Valentin's room.

***

"Alright asshole. I really am done with you now".

Valentin laughed, so Hadley drew her gun and shot him in his left arm. He groaned and swore. She opened the syringe and needle packets, and used them to draw some serum. She walked closer to him, needle in one hand, gun in other, and smirked.

"Oh, I despise people like you. You natter on, and on, and on, and yet, you don't say anything useful".

Valentin's unhurt arm shot out, and his hand almost touched her thigh, so Hadley shot him again, this time, in his right arm, and he screamed.

"Yawn. Trying moves on me will never work. Bored now Such a prick. A spiteful, delusional man, who believes he is worth far more than he really is. God complexes are dull. Aww, don't spit your dummy out. Throwing your toys out of the crib only makes me think you want a teething ring. And I know just the thing, for the job. Here, bite down on this rag, this will hurt".

She stuffed a rag into his mouth, and taped over it. She plunged the needle into his neck, walked out of the room, past the cleanup crew, and Ron's dead body, at a brisk pace.

She didn't wish to see any more of the chaos that had befallen them.

***

When she checked on Edward, he was fine, and overjoyed when he had confirmation that his family were safe too. Hadley informed him of what had happened, and he teared up, as well as she. Both had known Ron for a long time. He was a genius, an utter genius, with a heart of gold, and a great sense of humor.

Finch told his mentally drained agent to go home, and as she did, she checked up on Blaine, who was back in his apartment, with a guard now there, just in case anyone else tried anything.

***

Hadley decided that she needed to apologise to Adam. She had been well and truly vile toward him. and felt it only proper to say she was sorry.

She knocked on his door, and fresh tears burst their way out of her eyes, and flooded down her face, and he heard her sobs. He wasn't planning on letting her in, but upon hearing how badly she was shaken, he immediately knew that he needed too.

Hadley flung herself at him, the second the door was open, and was trembling badly. Instead of being pessimistic or nasty, Adam simply put his arm around her waist and led her into his living room. He sat her on the couch and knelt in front of her.

When she had calmed down a bit, he spoke, as gently as he could. "What happened?"

Hadley choked and sniffled. "We were compromised. Someone got in, armed, killed Dobrev, our scientist, would have killed Edward too if Valentin hadn't have said anything. Someone went after Blaine too. He is fine, but. Shit, Adam, we are in way over our heads here. This is a matter of global security now. The entire world is fucked if secrets get out. Stuff that should not see the light of day may well do and there is nothing we can do to stop it. Valentin didn't tell me what we needed. Unless he does when he is interviewed again, then we are screwed".

Adam moved up, and held her, which shocked her, but she wasn't complaining. Having someone to lean on, literally, was a good thing. He knew exactly how she felt, and decided that she wouldn't feel it alone. He decided a long time ago, that he would deal with his issues himself, and keep them to himself, unless it was urgent. This was urgent, and he knew personally that Hadley would need all the help she could get.

What she said next however, surprised him, and not in a good way.

"Sometimes, you have to play it their way".

"What do you mean?"

"Well, they'll surely have a compound. If we raid it, we will find out more".

Hadley was not in the right frame of mind to be suggesting this. "Are you insane?!"

"Yes, I am. But you and I both know that playing it by the book just doesn't work sometimes".

That's true, but, this isn't child's play Hadley. This won't be simply breaking and entering. Do you know what you'd be risking?

Everything, that's what.

"Listen to me. Get some rest, stay here if you need too, and we'll talk this over when you are of sounder mind, okay?"

Hadley went to protest, but knew he was right. She wasn't thinking straight.

"Besides, when this blows over, you still owe me drinks".

Hadley laughed and playfully slapped his cheek. "Why yes, I do. And you're right. Listen, I'm really sorry, for everything. I don't mean to piss people off, but my attitude gives off the wrong impression sometimes. And I called you a coward, that was uncalled for".

Adam shook his head, and stood up. He got her a glass of water, and some paracetamol tablets.

"No, you're right. I am a coward. I've known that for a while. I'm sorry too. I've been nothing but an asshole to you, and that was uncalled for".

His companion took a sip of water, and swallowed some tablets down. "Well you did get gut punched, so, I suppose I don't have to punish you. Blaine says sorry, by the way. He shouldn't have done that".

Adam couldn't look at her now. "No, he should have. I don't know what I would have done to you, if he hadn't".

Hadley stood up, and wiped her drying tears off her cheeks. "You wouldn't have gone too far, I know that. You aren't like that. And you certainly aren't a freak, or ugly". She scanned him over suggestively and nodded. "Nope, not ugly in the slightest. Hmmm, anyway. I'll take the sofa for a bit".

Don't blush, don't blush, don't...

He blushed.

Goddammit, I look like an idiot now.

Wait, couch?

"Take the bed, I don't use it".

Hadley pointed at him, and wagged her finger. "So you don't sleep, at all? That isn't good for your health. Care to come join me?"

That sent Adam's mind into a spin.

WHAT?

Her laughing brought him back to the now. "HAH, I'm only kidding. Sheesh, you looked like I'd just said I was going to kill you then. Calm down. Right, I'll see you in an hour or so, okay?"

Adam shook his head a few times, and walked to the couch.

He sat down, and pulled a gun case from under the couch, and began dissembling his gun and cleaning it.

He had to do something, ANYTHING to get his mind off, well, that.

 

And all that could be heard was Hadley, snickering to herself in his bedroom...


	10. Three Become One

20 years ago

 

"Mr Jackson, meet the newest MI5 recruits".

Edward clapped his hands together, to get everyone's attention. "Everyone, this is Sergeant Blaine Jackson, of the US Armed Forces, and an agent in the FBI. He is joining the team, and will assist me and your trainers in helping you to become the best agents you can be. He will call you into this room here, to chat to you all. Have your wits about you, this won't be a walk in the park, or a run-of-the-mill interview, okay? Everyone, wait in the reception area, and wait for your name to be called. Dismissed".

***

Four hours later, it was Hadley's turn to be interviewed. She'd chosen to wear a pencil skirt, which she shouldn't have, as she could barely move in the bloody thing. And a white blouse, which she hoped wasn't see-through.

She walked into the room, and handed Blaine her file. He looked at her, took it, and opened it.

"Hadley Groves, eighteen, White British. Mother, Sarah Groves. Father, Jonathan Groves. So, Miss Groves. What brings you to MI5?"

Hadley fiddled with her fingers, and had to link them, to stop her hands from shaking too much. She had to get this interview right. If she didn't, that would be her first bad mark, the first tarnish, and she couldn't, no, wouldn't allow that.

"Well Sir, I came here for several reasons. One, because I am tired of being walked all over. Two, my friends were murdered, and I couldn't help them. And three? Well, I'd say my test scores should speak for themselves there. I have proven that I will work hard, I will study, I will listen, and I will do whatever it takes".

Blaine shook his head, and groaned. "Such generic answers. Why are you really here, hmm? You think it's all like the movies, huh. All Black-Ops stuff, sneaking around, picking people off with guns, acting like a fucking ninja, and feeling like a bad ass? No, it isn't. There is a lot more at stake then all of that nonsense. You will risk your life, every single day, and risk the lives of the people you love the most. You're friends, family, hell, even mere acquaintances may become targets, for the enemies you will make".

Hadley started to get angry, and reigning it in, well, she wasn't very good at that. "Excuse me? This is rather unorthodox. And who the hell do you think you are? Just because you are a 'Sergeant' in the US Armed Forces, that does not mean that you have any power over me. You think just because you wear the fatigues, and the dog tags that it makes you awesome? Makes you better than 'little old me'? It doesn't. You aren't some special person, who gets to treat others like dirt. Surely the army taught you better than that. Why am I here? Because I am one of the people that actually wants to make a difference in the world. I am not one of those people who claims they do, and then sits there, doing nothing, whilst the world passes them by, okay? That a good enough answer, or is that too 'generic' for you too? Asshole".

Blaine looked at the now seething agent, and started clapping. "Finally, someone with gall. Everyone else sucked up to me, virtually kissed my ass, some of them. Just reign in the language, and I believe you'll do well here".

Hadley stood up, shook his hand, and smirked. "Well, I'm no ass kisser. Nor am I cock sucker, so yeah. See you later, Sergeant Fucker".

All she heard was him move towards her, in the corner of her eye. He stopped her from leaving the room. "Say that again".

Hadley feigned innocence. "What? You said reign it in, so I am doing, Sir".

She mockingly saluted, which did not amuse him. "Say. That. Again".

The young woman just shook her head, and moved his hand away from the door.

She left the room, and Blaine had to take several deep breaths, before his comm pinged in his ear.

It was his wife, and her voice calmed him considerably.

***

"Hey sweetheart. I should be home soon".

"When? We have a honeymoon to complete, remember? You had to leave".

Blaine sighed. A mission, a vitally important one made him have to cut his honeymoon drastically short. "I'm really sorry Chantelle, really. I will be training the new recruits for three months, then, I'll tell you what. I'm taking six months paid leave. I'll make it up to you, I promise".

Chantelle squealed with joy. "Brazil, here we come. Carnival celebrations, parties, fruity cocktails, other stuff, hehe. It's going to be bliss. Listen, I've been thinking".

Blaine laughed. "Oh god, now I'm worried. Do I need to be?"

His wife laughed. "No. On our honeymoon, since it'll be six months, I was wondering. We've been together for a long time, right? Blaine, honey, I want to try for a baby. It'd be perfect, complete us, you know?"

Truth be told, Blaine was ready, and had thought about becoming a Father for a while now. He just wasn't sure if she was ready, so he didn't broach the subject. "I'd love to try. God, Chantelle, you've no idea how happy I am right now".

Chantelle giggled. "Such a soppy bastard, aren't you?"

He agreed. "I can be. And, I have to go back to being tough. Sorry sweetheart".

His wife sighed. "I want those three months to fly by. I miss you, a lot. I knew you'd be busy, and I accept that. But, it's still tough, you know?"

"I know babe, I know. I'll be in touch, and I'm always here if you need to talk, okay? I love you".

Chantelle blew an exaggerated kiss down the comm. "Love you too, ya big teddy bear".

Her husband groaned and rubbed the back of his head. "Really? Do you have to call me that? Haha. See you soon".

She hung up, and Blaine went back into the interview room.

***

Present day

Hadley woke up almost an hour after she had gone for a nap. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and felt a little better, though her eyes were still red, and the skin around them puffed up. She stretched a few times, rolled over, and got up.

Walking back into the living room, a familiar smell hit her.

Gun fluid. Come to think of it, my guns need cleaning too.

"Evening Adam. You still on for drinks?"

Adam turned around and nodded curtly. "Now? I need a shower. Give me a few minutes".

Hadley nodded, and smiled as she headed for the front door. "I need one too. You should have told me, I stink".

Adam tapped his nose and stood up. "I don't think that's wise. And it's just a bit rude, don't you think?"

The agent snorted and stood in the doorway. "I assure you, that wasn't me baiting you. But yes, you are right. Give me, hmm...half an hour to get changed and shower".

Now he snorted. That made her put a hand on her hip. "You need half an hour to change clothes, and get a shower? The hell do you do in there?"

Hadley turned away from him and smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know? Guess you did take the bait, huh?"

Her teasing tone and laughing as she walked away made Adam growl. But, he could do with a drink, and to get out for a bit, so he shut his door then went into his bathroom.

***

Upon arrival back at her apartment, Hadley stripped and got into the shower. The warm water relaxed her immediately. But, in the quiet space, all alone, her thoughts started to drift back to today's terrible events.

She'd have to help pick up the pieces tomorrow. Ron...by now, his family would have informed of his death, and the pain they'd be feeling would be intolerable.

If only Valentin had told her sooner, she may have been able to protect him.

Save him.

Saving people had become if's now. And that was unacceptable.

Human life should never be an if. Never an afterthought.

But Hadley was losing people, when she was supposed to look after them. Ron had looked after her, and yet, she had let him down. Now, he was dead, murdered, and she felt like it was her fault.

The agent turned the temperature up, and felt the water start to sooth her aches and pains.

She needed to get out too, just take some time out, and actually enjoy it.

Ron would want that. He wouldn't want me moping around after him.

***

Hadley dried herself, and threw her towel into the wash basket. She got changed, and decided to keep it simple. No fuss, no frills. Just a white blouse, straight cut, dark denim jeans, black boots and a black blazer, with the buttons undone.

When she was finished drying her hair, the agent sprayed some hairspray on it, to tame the flyaway strands.

When she was done, she grabbed her key card, a credit chip, and then left her apartment.

***

Hadley took Adam to her favourite pub but only ordered half a pint of lager, due to taking painkillers earlier that day.

When they sat down, Hadley took a sip of her pint, and smiled. "American versus British beer. Bottoms up, old chap".

Adam found himself chuckling at that. He took a drink of the beer, and thought on it for a while. Honestly? The beers he was used to tasted the same as the one he was drinking now.

Hadley lent back on her chair and hummed. "Can we breathe now, or is shit going hit the fan, again?" She caught Adam looking at her, and stuck her tongue out at him, like a petulant child. "What? You're an enigma, you know that?"

"I prefer that. Being easy to read isn't a good thing".

Hadley shrugged. "If you're a bad guy, I want to be able to read you. Good guy? I want you to be mysterious. That keeps my interest. And yes, that means you do, mister".

Adam scoffed. "Me? Good? Good is overrated. I don't want to stand by, as the world falls to pieces, simply because I'm good. Good people often do that, they don't want to get involved. It foes against their beliefs. I want to fight, if that means acting badly, then I'll act badly".

The female agent looked away and grimaced.

Well this is awkward...

She suddenly stood up, and walked back over to the bar.

***

"Shots, lots of them. I'm flailing around here".

The bartender laughed. "You look like you've never been on a date before".

Hadley waved her hands. "Oh no. This isn't a date. And, well...".

The bartender finished her sentence. "You've never been on a date, have you?"

Hadley looked down, and groaned. "No, I haven't. I don't know how these things work, truth be told".

"So, this is a date?"

"NO!" The agent looked around, and shook her head slowly. "No, it's not. Just give me booze, please. Take my credit chip dammit".

***

As she walked back to her table, with several shots on a tray, in her hands, Hadley's brain tried desperately to search for an answer as to why she was acting like an inexperienced idiot.

Since when was I so shy, introverted even? That isn't me. Christ. I am leaving after these drinks.

When she sat down, she had to make up some excuse, as to why she just got up, and walked away, in the middle of a conversation.

"Honestly? I'm not used to actually going out with someone, other than Blaine. And as you two are very, very different people, I don't really know how to handle a conversation with you".

Adam felt a smirk coming on. "You weren't having any trouble before. What changed?"

Hadley lost her train of thought, and wanted to go and hide in the corner, and drink herself into oblivion. Instead of replying, she threw down shot after colourful shot, and refused to look at the man she was sure was smirking right about now...

***

17 years ago

Blaine was back in London, after retiring from the US Army, and transferring from the FBI to MI5. Edward was awaiting his arrival in his office.

When he arrived, the older man smiled, stood up, and shook his hand. "Blaine, good to have you on board. There are three candidates that I have put forward to work with you". He handed the other man a few files.

"Ah, Hadley. She is a challenge. Could I put up with her? She's uncouth, rude, impulsive, but". He continued reading her file. "A damn good agent, it seems". He put her file down, and began reading the second one, then the third.

After interviews with all three candidates, Edward and Blaine rendezvoused in his office.

***

"Neil and Amelia will take on agent posts, with our other tech advisers. Oh, something you should know about Hadley. She has a tendency to start using big words, if she feels she is losing an argument, to try and confuse you".

Blaine smirked. "Oh really now?"

Edward nodded and moved forward. "Are you sure you are fit to work? With everything that happened?"

The other man sighed. "Honestly? No, I'm not. I'm still out of it".

"As long as you are able to cope. You can take more time off, if need be".

Blaine shook his head. "Sir, if I take any more time off, feeling sorry for myself, I'll go crazy. The workload will help take my mind off, I'm sure of it. Right, shall I go and tell Hadley the news?"

His boss nodded, so Blaine left the office.

***

Hadley sat in her new office and felt happier than she had in a long while. All of her hard work, the tricky situations, the bruises, the fights, all of it had lead to her, now, being a top agent. She would travel, all over the globe, and take on extremely sensitive missions, and end up in many tough situations.

Blaine opened the door, and she turned to him.

"Well then. I suppose this means I have to be nice to you now, hmm?"

Blaine shook his head, and laughed. "Not at all. I know you dislike me. You want to ask what happened, right? Just ask it".

"Hate you? Nah, you're alright. Just alright though. So, what happened?"

"My wife left me, two years ago. I couldn't knock her up. I got home one day, found out that she had left. All of her stuff was gone. No note, nothing. Got divorce papers through the mail. I couldn't believe it. She refused to speak to me too. I just found out that she now has two kids, with a guy she met, only a week after leaving me. A fucking week! I trusted her. I gave her everything, at least, I thought I did".

"Honestly? She's a fucking bitch. Yes, she wanted a baby, but there are other ways to conceive. Hell, maybe adopt a kid. What she did was harsh".

"One of the reasons stated, why she wanted a divorce was because she got our test results back, from the hospital. We got those done as it was obvious we were having problems conceiving. She took the results with her, so I didn't know what the they were. Turns out I can't have kids, at all. Not even IVF would have helped us. My sperm is dead, it didn't even move once. Doc said she's never seen a sample that bad before. I feel like a fucking failure right now".

"Sir, you aren't the failure here. She is. She gave up on you, didn't even have the guts to speak to you about it, and she walked out. You did all of the right things. It's her fault, not yours. I'm sorry if I'm being too bold, or nasty Sir, but that's just my opinion. And I don't sugarcoat things".

Blaine looked down and sighed. "I'm glad you don't. Sick of people sucking up to me. Don't ever do that, okay?"

Hadley smirked. "So you want me to be mean? Fine, I can do that. Oh, I definitely can, trust me. Want to go out? Grab some drinks, and just forget about life for a bit?"

He nodded. "Lets".

The two stood up, and left the building.

***

If their boss saw them, he'd be mortified. Both ended up drunk, and acting like utter fools.

But was having fun every now and again, and allowing themselves to forget the bad things in life really so bad?


	11. At Your Behest

One month later

 

Hadley met Blaine, in the very same cafe, that had almost been his grave just over a month back. She swirled her little wooden stick around in the froth of her delicious smelling caramel macchiato coffee. She picked up the cup, and sipped some of the warm brew.

"You're right about the coffee here, it's divine. So, how have you been holding up, since the attack?"

Blaine poured sugar from a little packet, into his almond mocha coffee, and stirred it, with a spoon. "I've done alright, surprisingly. How are you? And I've not seen tall, dark and brooding recently. How's he?"

Hadley laughed. "He's fine, I think. He's awaiting the Police and Sarif Industries report on the attack. Apparently Sarif is withholding it, and Adam isn't pleased. Then again, is he ever?" She sighed. "And myself? Eh, I've been better. The flu had me in bed for two weeks. Two freaking weeks, it was that bad. Now I know how it feels when I am well, I want to stay well. What's happened with the Police?"

"They let me go, with a caution. The other guy? He's due in court soon. I have to give evidence against him. Glad you are okay though. The last time you were ill...".

Hadley groaned. "Ugh, don't remind me. You virtually had to follow me around, with a bucket, cause I kept on throwing up. But I had paperwork that needed sorting out, so I had to do that, despite being really sick. And then several people from the office caught what I had, and were not amused. Serves me right though, I should have stayed at home". The agent stopped talking, and frowned. The intensity of her frown made her forehead crease. "Ron's funeral is this Saturday".

Blaine's shoulder slumped down a tad. "Damn. Took the coroner a while to release his body. His family must be reeling".

His friend nodded. "His wife is livid, and she can't stop crying. Made some appointments with our psychologist for her. She wants to know what happened, but with the nature of the case, it has to be kept a secret. But she won't see it that way".

Blaine sipped his coffee, and looked glum. "Does she want us, at the wake?"

"No, she is having him cremated. A wake is ill advised, especially with the circumstances. I feel disrespectful".

Her male companion eyed her quizzically. "Why? You aren't being".

"It's just that, we are here, enjoying our day, sipping coffee, and yet, Ron's family are grieving, and suffering. This feels wrong somehow, you know?"

Blaine shook his head. "I don't follow. You think we should be suffering? Ron knew we cared about him, his family do too. Neither would want us, moping around. We do respect him, and them. Can I give you your present yet".

Hadley drank some more coffee, and the sweetness and warmth made her feel a little more relaxed. "Present? Buttering me up are we? Sure".

Blaine reached under the table, and handed her a bag. She looked inside it, and her eyes widened.

"Blaine, are these what I think they are?"

Blaine smiled and nodded a few times. "They are. I know you weren't able to go to the previous shows, and I knew you still wanted to see it".

Hadley practically threw herself over the table, and squeezed the life out of her friend. "We Will Rock You tickets. Fuck, this is incredible. Thank you, thank you so much sweetheart". She moved her head down, and kissed his cheek. She then sat back down, and tried to compose herself. "Wait, didn't you want to talk to me about something else? I can't remember".

Blaine knew what she meant, and felt pain lance through his chest.

She didn't remember what he told her. Granted, it was a month ago, but still...

Did I really leave it too late? Ten years is a lot but...

...I needed to be sure. That it wasn't just a crush, or just me feeling lonely, and unhappy, and so, needing a friend.

"Nothing Had, it's okay. It doesn't matter. Another time, okay?"

...Goddammit Hadley. How do you forget someone telling you they love you? LOVE you H! Fuck me...

All he could do, was excuse himself, say he needed to use the bathroom, bite his bottom lip and hope he didn't end up blubbering.

So, he calmly stood up, excused himself, and locked himself in the cafe toilets.

***

A few days later, Adam finally had news of the report he had been desperate to receive. He'd had a call from Malik, who was back at work, and doing well, and from Frank, which surprised him. Then again, he was still at home, the doctor and Sarif had recommend that he stay at home, as he was only just starting to get better, and put on some weight. Which he desperately needed. When Adam saw him last, if the tech guy got any thinner, he'd look like a Halloween prop.

In the evening, he turned on the TV, got a drink, and went to sit down, before a knock on his door alerted him.

It was Hadley, and she had a few bottles of wine, and some takeout boxes.

"Figured since I hadn't seen you in a while, I'd check if you were still here. Haven't heard a peep".

Adam shrugged. "I know how to be quiet is all".

Hadley nodded and stepped into his apartment. "Good. Everything okay in Detroit?"

"Yeah, things seem to be returning to normal. I don't want to go back there again yet though".

The female agent sat down, and propped herself up with some cushions. She handed him a box of food, and looked at the bottles of wine she had brought. "Red, white, or rose?"

Adam smirked, and turned down the light in the living area. "Never thought you the wine drinking type".

She snorted. "Hah, I can be distinguished you know. Well, this is the cheaper end of it, but still, it makes a change from whiskey, right? Oh, just shut up and pick one, honestly".

She huffed, and folded her arms. With her pout came his smirk and chuckled, which made her pick up a cushion. "Go on, hit me with it, I dare you too".

Hadley growled and threw the cushion at him, ending up on the floor, falling off the couch, from laughing so much.

***

Hours later, after some terrible movies, Hadley was well and truly drunk, and it seemed Adam was too. Although, she couldn't really tell with him. His augmented legs always kept him stable, so he wouldn't stumble, and could walk in a straight line. And his eyes were covered 90% of the time, so she couldn't see if his pupils were dilated or not. And he didn't slur his words, or get them jumbled up.

But, thinking started to hurt too much, so she stopped and picked up their wine glasses. She stumbled into the kitchen counter, and swore as she banged her hip on the corner top. The glasses hit the counter and smashed, and she swore again, even louder this time.

But, after that, Adam did give her a sign that he was indeed, as drunk as her, and that he was struggling to even see in the darkness, after retracting his shades. He bumped into her, and when she started giggling, he tried to shush her. A wave of heat overtook the agent, and she almost fell, having to use him for leverage. Adam wasn't prepared for this, and so backed up and fell backwards, onto the couch, pulling her with him. Hadley, in either a moment of blind panic, or a moment of drunken lust moved up and lay her head on his chest. His heart thudded against her ear, and she smiled. The alcohol in her system was making her feel warm, and he was making her feel safe.

Not only that, but she was hard-pressed not to just kiss him. It had been too long since she'd had any contact like that.

And rational thought was swept away, by another wave of alcohol, and she didn't have any will to fight off the urge anymore.

Hadley moved her head up, and looked Adam in the eye.

She moved towards him, and no resistance from him, kissed him.

***

What happened next was all a blur. When Hadley finally woke up, at twelve in the afternoon no less, she looked around, realising that this wasn't her bedroom. This wasn't her bed.

Oh shit.

Oh shit.

...SHIT.

She was naked, under someone's sheets, and she bolted up, regretting the move soon afterward. When she came to her senses fully, she saw Adam, curled up, and still asleep. She squirmed around, and got up, looking for her clothes in the process.

After a short time, it became obvious that she could only find her shirt, and knickers, so she put those on. But she felt something, after she put them on, and it wasn't the satisfied feeling that she was concerned about.

She wandered into Adam's bathroom, and pulled down her panties.

"Oh fucking hell. ADAM!"

Adam shot up, and held his head. "God. What hit me?"

Hadley squealed, and stomped into his room. "I'll hit you in a minute. We didn't use anything, did we? You came in me!"

Adam smirked, but then reality hit him, and he stopped. "Shit".

Hadley groaned. "I'll sort it, okay? We should have known better. It's going to be shameful, but I need to go to the clinic. Good job there is one nearby, I don't do well with shame. It makes me cranky. That, and add in a hangover, and I'm not a happy bunny. Sorry Adam. It's my fault too". She held her hands up, and sighed. "This shouldn't have happened but, truth be told? I kinda needed it".

Adam stretched and nodded. "I did too. Not sure I can even have kids, after all the damage that was done, all those years back but, I'd get the pill anyway. I really am sorry. I should have known better".

The two walked into the living area, and the mess that greeted them made them both groan. A unexpected knock on the door made the two jump.

***

The seconds ticked by, before whoever knocked slid a file under Adam's door. It was the Police report. Adam walked over there, and picked it up. He then checked the hallway, to see if the person had gone. When he gave Hadley the all clear, she tiptoed out of his apartment, clad only in a shirt and panties, and covered her mouth when she saw who it was, who had knocked.

It was Blaine, and for some odd reason, Hadley would never know why, he turned in her direction, before she got into her apartment.

He took one look at her, marched past her, and knocked on Adam's door.

Hadley pleaded with him not to freak out, but it seemed he wasn't listening.

The look he gave her, before he entered Adam's apartment chilled her to the bone.

"Just go Hadley, go to your apartment, before more people see you half naked".

Hadley didn't want too, but reluctantly had too.

***

Adam was only half dressed himself, when he answered the door. Blaine barged in, without asking, and glared at him.

"You really couldn't wait, could you? I knew it. I knew you'd fuck her. Why? Why the hell did you do that, huh?"

Adam really wasn't in the arguing mood. His head pounded, and he felt like he was going to vomit. "You waited ten years, Blaine. Ten years to suddenly spring it on her, that you give a shit. More than you should. She didn't know, she wasn't lying to me when she told me".

Blaine's eyes widened. "She told you about that? Is nothing I say sacred anymore? Jesus Christ...".

Adam cut him off. "It was a drunken mistake. It shouldn't have happened. If you want to hit me, do it. But don't take ten years to decided whether you want to or not, okay?"

The older man was seeing red now, and a fist flung itself at the ex SWAT man, who grunted after it hit him. Blaine hit hard, damn hard.

"Better now? Look, we made a mistake. Hadley regrets it, and so do I".

Blaine had calmed down considerably, but his hands were screwed up. "Okay. We all make them. I've slept with a woman, when I was drunk once. It's no big deal, unless it's with someone that you care about. Do you even care about her? Or is she just holes?"

Adam was stunned. Never had he heard anyone be so disrespectful about a woman before. "Holes? It's a good thing that Hadley isn't with you, if you'd refer to her as 'holes'. Is that all she is to you? Something to shove your cock into, when you get bored, or get the urge? At least I don't see her that way. And, yes, I do care about her. She's a good woman". He stepped closer to a now shaking Blaine. "But she deserves someone way better than us. Neither of us are good enough".

Blaine violently shook his head and cradled it. "No, god, NO! I don't see her like that. Why the fuck did I even say that? What the hell am I playing at? I need to get away from her. I've done enough damage. Just telling her I care ruined how she saw me. Shit, Adam, what do I do?"

Adam looked down. "Give her some time. Alone time, no matter how much it hurts. I did that, with a woman, a long time ago. I loved her, and I thought she did me, but we worked together, so we had to avoid any talk of it. But, we ended up together, secretly. But, when I gave her alone time, she told me that she realised how I felt, and how she did. Hadley's never had a man love her, right? She doesn't know how to react to it. Now, I don't love her, but I can show her what it's like, to be cared for. She's used to how you act, and speak around her, but not me".

The older man backed down, and picked up a white napkin. He waved it, as a mock surrender flag. "You're right. Sheesh, I am vague sometimes. Sorry I hit you, okay?"

Adam nodded and the pair shook hands amicably. "I'd better go, let you read the file. Edward sent me, to hand it to you. I won't bother you again, or Hadley. We all need some time alone, I think".

Adam nodded, and Blaine left his apartment.

Sarif's head of security sat down, on his couch, ignoring the mess around him, and opened the file...

***

Blaine saw Hadley, now fully dressed, leaving her apartment, on his way out. He let her past him, to use the elevator.

Before she stepped in however, she looked at him, and he could she was struggling not to break down.

"I'm so sorry".

The elevator pinged, and she stepped in.

What she didn't hear, was his reply.

 

No. Forgive me...


	12. Like A Thorn In The Gut

New York, New York City, 2019

 

"I didn't know that we bothered with charity work. Not that I am objecting to being here, this gala dress is stunning. Hang on, how did you know my size?"

Blaine came out of the bathroom, with his shirt only half buttoned up. Hadley coughed lightly, and looked away. "I guessed".

Hadley's face had started going red, whether through embarrassment, or blushing, Blaine couldn't tell. "You'd have to stare at me, from all angles, to have guessed correctly".

"And I did. Yet, it seems that a tiny bit of my chest makes you look away".

His fellow agent bit her cheek, and turned back to him. "Whatever. Anyway, are you done? I need to get changed, and finish my makeup".

Blaine nodded, but smirked as she walked past him. "What? You're a good looking guy. Is that what you wanted to hear? Have your ego stroked?"

Her colleague said nothing, and fully buttoned up his shirt. Hadley laughed. "That shut you up easily enough. Right, my face looks acceptable, lets get going".

As the agent walked past, her hand brushed along the fabric of his shirt. "You're nervous. Wait...". The moment he looked at her, she knew that it wasn't nerves that were afflicting him. "Oh, I get it. I take it I look good?"

Blaine nodded a few times. "You look fucking amazing".

Hadley smirked, but two dull thuds brought her out of her teasing mood. She dimmed the light of the room, and walked to the door, grabbing a gun on the bed on the way.

After several minutes, she nodded to Blaine, who stood at her side. The pair opened the door, and found two dead people, in the corridor.

"Well shit, someone ruined that lovely cream carpet. Shit, Blaine, whoever did this is coming back. Get back in the room, now!"

The pair ran back into the room, Hadley turned off the light, and they hid in the closet, behind her dress and his suit bags.

***

Muffled voices could be heard, on the other side of their room door, and Hadley passed Blaine her second gun.

"Any closer, and it'll almost count as sex Blaine. Shift yourself".

Blaine snorted and shook his head, which she could barely make out, in the dim light of the closet. "Sex? Like we could even have that in here. We can barely move, let alone fuck. And besides, your dress isn't that short".

Hadley shuffled a bit and managed to look at him. "Yes it is. Makes me think you are a massive perv".

Her tech guy held back a chuckle. "I can be. And I know you can be too. Had, why is your hand on my stomach? I know we are close, but you don't see my hands on you".

His friend just shook her head. When their room door opened, she inched up and kissed her stunned friend, to muffle the sound of their breathing.

The man could hardly contain himself. She was kissing him. Hadley freaking Groves was kissing him, and he really wanted to kiss back...

...But this was wrong. Yes, he'd had feelings for her for a while now, but, they worked together. Feelings would make things awkward, perhaps even unbearable.

***

Whoever was in the agents room left, and Blaine removed his mouth from Hadley's and moved back. "That should NOT have happened".

Hadley groaned. "Was it that bad? I hope not. Then again, you weren't doing anything, so I was doing all the work".

Blaine shook his head again, and squeezed past her, to leave the closet. "H, no, it wasn't bad. This is too much. Lets just get this dinner over and done with, and find out who is killing people here, preferably, before they kill us, okay?"

The agent nodded, and reapplied her lipstick, in the mirror. "Here, clean your face, lipstick marks".

Her friend surprised her by shaking his head.

Fuck, FUCK. Fine, brain, will you stop thinking up dirty stuff if I kiss her?

His brain would not stop bugging him.

He turned, walked over to the bemused agent, and kissed her, fully, and her tongue yielded against his.

Hadley felt faint, and heat coloured her cheeks. When he stopped, she almost toppled over, onto the bed.

"Bloody hell, where did THAT come from? Not been kissed like that in, god, at least fifteen years".

Blaine tapped the side of his nose. "That's a secret. Come on".

Hadley stood up, but frowned. "Lipstick!" She put her gun in bag, and Blaine put his under the waistband of his trousers.

"You don't need it, you look fine".

He pulled her out, into the hall, and shut the door behind them. When they got into the elevator, Hadley put a finger to her lips, and almost swooned. "Well, we all have secrets, so I'll let you have that one"...

She sighed and linked arms with him.

"...For now".

***

Three hours later

"Found the killer. Sharp dressed, but either he didn't spot the blood on his lapel, or he wanted someone to see it. Not calling him a fool as of yet. He's calm, collected, and rather sexy. Gives off a regal air too".

Blaine threw down a shot of tequila, to drown the groan, that threatened to burst free from his throat. "Whatever. As long as you get what you need, he dies, and you get out alive, I'm good".

Hadley smirked, as she watched her friend, from a higher up walkway of the lobby. "So you're just going to sit there, drinking tequila, like it's going out of fashion?"

Blaine turned to her, and winked, before holding up a different shot glass. "Yes, I am. Chin chin, sweetheart".

"Christ, you're being overly sweet tonight. Make that the last shot, okay? I have a feeling I'll need you. Please?"

Her male counterpart choked on the liquor, and coughed several times. His throat burned, and he continued to cough, but he managed to force out some words. "Please? Damn, you must be unsure. Okay, I'll help".

Hadley breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks. Bottoms up". She finished the last of her champagne and put down the glass.

***

"It's rather quiet tonight, don't you think? Surely with a free bar, people would be propping it up, and merriment would ensue?"

The man she was after turned to her, and nodded. "It's very dull, I agree. So, pray tell. Why are you here?"

Hadley looked at him, and ordered another glass of champagne. "Well...".

The man shushed here. "I know who you are, so skip the bullshit, and tell me why you are here. And be honest, I do not like lies. They don't sit well with me, or the gun, in my back pocket. I'll give you ten seconds to explain yourself".

Hadley smiled, which did not amuse him. "Ten seconds? How nice of you. Well". She moved closer to him, and moved her head up slightly, exposing her Calvin Klein Euphoria scented neck. "Bryce Pearson. What if this isn't business? What if this is pleasure?"

Bryce moved his head down, leaving mere inches between himself, and the now sickeningly saccharine grinned Hadley. "Okay. Why me?"

The woman moved back and lent on the bar. "Other than the fact you are gorgeous? I don't do nobodies. Who knows what vileness they have picked up, over the years. Men like you do not sleep around. You've reputations to keep. The only people you satisfy are clients. But who satisfies you, hm? Don't you tire of your own hand? I know I do. It's boring now, I always know the outcome. Whereas, with someone else". She moved closer again, and placed her hands on top of his. "I don't. It'll be down to the other person, what happens. And that? That is what I seek. The thrill".

Bryce undid one of the buttons of his suit jacket, and placed his hand on Hadley's midriff, but she called his bluff, and laughed. "Ah. Wealthy business men are so quick to get out their short stack. I saw you, chatting up every woman in this room. Fruitlessly too. How sad. So, what happened? Don't have enough money? Cock too small? Grower, not a shower?"

The man grabbed her wrist and snarled. Hadley knew she was right, but with what? She huffed and looked him in the eyes. "Show me, don't tell me".

Bryce called his driver, and Hadley excused herself to the bathroom.

"Blaine, he's taking me back to his apartment. You need to get up there somehow, after us. He won't let me leave alive. Strictly body bag only kind of guy. That's what we are playing with here".

Blaine growled. "The whole hog huh? Fuck Had, you've no idea what you're dealing with here".

It was Hadley's turn to growl now. "Why do you underestimate me? I did missions before you, without you. I can do them, so stop undermining me. I won't be sleeping with him. He'll be dead before he even gets to see me naked, okay? You sound jealous as hell. Stop it, it's unnecessary".

Her tech adviser went to throw down another shot of his chosen poison, but a hand stopped him. "Behave Blaine. There's only one man for me, and it isn't him. Have faith".

He sighed and put the shot down. "Faith? You know I don't believe in any of that stuff".

Hadley put her forehead against his. "Have faith in me".

The dim lighting hid his blush, and for that, he was eternally grateful.

Hadley walked away, and back to Bryce.

"Lets go".

Bryce looked at her, and put his arm around her waist, possessively. "Who's he?"

Hadley pulled him out of the room. "Someone who needs to mind his own business, that's who".

***

"Why did your men kill those guests, hmm?" Hadley asked, as they got into Bryce's car. His chauffeur grunted and tipped hid hat to her. She nodded in response.

Bryce was outside the car, but put his head through the window. "Because they were spies. Chinese, here to retrieve, this".

His men wheeled around a huge, ornate Ming dynasty vase, adorned with pink, gold, and green patterns, flowers, and symbols.

"This beauty was made in 1381, during the reign of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, also known as the"...

Hadley cut him off. "The Hongwu Emperor. It's stunning, truly, a sight to behold".

The men moved their boss' precious cargo into the back of a large, white van, and secured it with padding, and strong fastenings.

Bryce walked to the van, and stared at the driver. "If there is so much as a hairline crack in this vase, when we arrive at my apartment, every limb, and every organ shall be removed. The last to go will be your heart, and eyes. Do I make myself clear?"

The driver gulped, a sheen of sweat had gathered on his forehead. He nodded, and Bryce walked back to his car, before getting in.

***

"You know you're history. Good, then we have something to talk about".

Hadley smiled. "Of course. It's civilizations like that that paved the way for how things are now. Of course, they'll never truly be peace, or tranquility, but of course, we can live in the illusion, no?"

Bryce moved toward the agent, who put her hand on his chest, to stop him from moving further. But his next move threw her for a loop, and she felt panic lodge itself in her brain, and gut. He whipped her head around, to which she protested at verbally, and ripped out her earpiece. He then threw it out of the window.

"Good, now we can really talk. Tell me, Miss Groves, what does MI5 want with little old me?"

Hadley frowned. He had her at a loss here. She actually had no idea as to why she was here. She only knew that people were being killed and that the killer, or in this case, killers, needed to be stopped.

She then decided that she would shout at her boss if she got out of this alive.

If...

She chose to play the honesty card. "I have no idea. All I know is that people were being murdered and that it needed to stop. That's all, I swear".

Bryce clicked his tongue, and moved away, smoothing down his suit. "I believe you. And that man, is he an agent too?"

Oh fuck me. Why, oh goddamned why does he have to be smart, huh?

Or perhaps, just well informed?

"Yes, he is. But he knows nothing of this. He wanted to get in on the action, I refused him, and now? He's likely drunk, and feeling sorry for himself".

Bryce nodded. A rogue hand wormed it's way up the outside of Hadley's thigh. She gulped and looked away. He chuckled. "Has it really been that long since you had sex?"

Hadley mumbled. "Fifteen years, to be exact".

Her companion frowned. "That long? How on Earth did you cope?"

Hadley looked at him, and knew she needed to somehow get back into his frame of mind. "Well, I sprained my wrist a few times, if that means anything".

The man grinned, his pearly whites flashing at her. "Toys?"

Hadley scooted right beside him, and put her hand on his leg. "I hate those. Real thing or nothing, that's how I see it. How far are we from your apartment? I'm getting twitchy".

Bryce kissed her, unexpectedly, and she had to admit. She wasn't complaining, there were far worse people to be kissed by.

But this man was dangerous, and danger never felt so good.

Stop, stop it.

Hadley pulled away, and sighed. She lay her head on his shoulder, and smiled.

"You charmer you. You didn't answer my question though".

The car stopped, and her door was opened.

Ah, you didn't need too.

Hadley carefully stepped out of the car, and made sure her dress hadn't ridden up. Bryce appeared behind her and took her hand, leading her into the apartment complex.

***

When he led her underground, and into a garage, panic set in, again. But she wasn't there so he could kill her. She was there so he could show off his extensive car collection.

Hadley was in awe. A matte black Bentley Continental GT caught her eye. Then, a red Lamborghini Aventador, and a dark green Bugatti Veyron.

"You're turning me on. You know how to impress a girl. But, I'm not interested in how much money you have. If I was, I'd be dragging you along to a mall, and making you buy me things, in exchange for sex. I'm rather good at persuasion, after all".

A cobalt blue Maserati Quattroporte made her stop, and take a good look at it. She felt Bryce move behind her, and knew he wanted his greedy little mitts all over her. "I'll be the judge of if you're any good at persuasion. Come".

Hadley was pulled into an elevator, at the end of the vast garage, and she smirked, once they were inside. "What, now? I need more than niceties and fancy cars to come that quickly, darling".

Bryce groaned, and pushed the lift button, and wished for the journey to be swift. If he strained anymore against his boxers, he wouldn't be able to wait any longer.

***

Shōji covered half of his apartment, decorated with subtle, yet beautiful cherry blossoms, and the room's colour pallet was chocolate box. Beige walls, cream carpets, brown furniture, and a large mahogany coffee table was in the middle of the room. His kitchen was more monochrome. Black shiny floors, granite worktops, white walls, with black tiles on them. Around the room were glass cases, filled with priceless artifacts, ranging from very old, to new, futuristic pieces.

Bryce's voice brought her out of her awe. "Get ready. I'll be back in a few minutes". He left the room, and Hadley, having to guess where his bathroom was.

She rolled her eyes, and scouted out the space.

***

When she found the bathroom, she closed the door, and took off her dress. She looked down, and peeled off the sellotape, on her hip, and put the spare comm under it in her ear. She turned in on, and heard a relieved sigh.

"I've traced you to Pearson's bathroom. So, has he had his way yet?"

Hadley gasped. "No! Sheesh. He's good, but not that good. Smarmy asswipe. This guy is vain as shit, thinks he's it, and that'll he'll have me at his beck and call. But, I suppose I'll put on a show. Finally, wearing a sexy, matching lingerie set is actually worth it for a change. Thank you Agent Provocateur".

Blaine started cursing.

Thanks for the visual, not. This guy gets to see you, like that, and I don't? Wait, where am I going with this? I sound like a creep...

"Blaine? You alright? I have to go, I need to destroy the comm too. Come and help me, please? I don't want him going anywhere near me. And I bet he has armed men in here too, hiding".

Blaine took some deep breaths, and focused on killing Pearson. He grabbed two handguns and a knife, before getting out of the car.

Hadley put the comm under her heel and crushed it. She slipped on the black kimono style, very short silk dressing gown and left the bathroom.

***

"What took you so long?"

Bryce had stripped, and now, only the bottom half of his body was covered. Hadley's eyes widened and she coughed. "I had to warm myself up".

The man groaned, and reached out, pulling her onto the sofa. A hand pulled up the fabric of the gown, and he made a face. Not a happy one. "Lace? I had thought you the type to not wear any underwear. However, this is a pleasing sight, I assure you".

Hadley squirmed. He wasn't really her type, he had a smattering of chest hair, and it was trimmed, which she didn't like. He was lean, with a little muscle, but it wasn't anything worth writing home about.

Oh you arrogant fuck...you actually WANT a fight, don't you?

"And make it too easy? I think not. Besides, if you be a good boy, you'll get to slide these off, soon enough".

Bryce shook his head. "Good is for the meek, bad is for people like us, who play the game. We don't shy away from killing and violence. It's in our nature".

He then yanked off the robe, and took a moment, to look at his prize, his conquest. And honestly? She was just okay. Not slim enough, or beautiful enough, to keep his attention, her eyes were rather pretty though, he had to admit. But, he was bored, and needed some action, so, he's ignore his usual preferences.

He clicked his fingers, and six men walked into the room. Hadley moved away. "Oh, you're a voyeur. I'm not".

Bryce motioned for the men to turn away, and they did. A ding made Hadley almost fall off the couch, with joy.

It was Blaine, and he'd come to her rescue.

***

Hadley and Blaine rolled, and ended up behind a rather large wooden chest. Bryce's men went to shoot it, but his bellow stopped them. "Don't shoot the chest, you fools. Find them, and execute them. Secure the packages".

Hadley stood up, after the men left. "Packages? In the vase? Is that why you bought it?"

The man nodded and Blaine growled. "Yes, over six million dollars worth of cocaine is contained within it".

Blaine looked at Hadley, blushed, to which she snickered at, and also stood up. "Why is this always about drugs? Do you guys even know of the pain and suffering they cause? And all for a quick buck? You make me sick".

Hadley laughed. "Not on the carpet honey, you'll enrage mister drug Lord here".

"Ha".

That was all Blaine got out, before a nasty, evil laughter came from Bryce. "Aw, the faithful lapdog wants more than just petting, doesn't he? You want to rut, and she doesn't. Poor doggie. Your mistress prefers me. And I am all too willing to give her a good seeing too".

Blaine's snapped, and yelled out his reply. "Fuck you! Hadley's my friend, and I'm no dog". The enraged man pulled out a gun, and shot Bryce in his right kneecap. "Try running away on what's left of that knee, fucker. Had, get dressed".

Hadley was stunned, and still a little out of it. "What he said. Is it true? Not the dog thing, you know what I'm talking about".

Her tech guy ignored her, and held up Bryce. He threw him as shirt, and tied his arms and legs. He threw the man over his shoulder and went into the elevator. He knew the agent would not let the matter slide, but he didn't wish to complicate things.

Hadley joined them, after putting her dress back on. She wasn't focused, and ended up being shot, once the elevator door opened. Blaine killed all six men, and threw Bryce into the backseat. He helped Hadley into the car, before opening the truck door, and taking the stacks of cocaine. He then drove to the airport.

They needed to be back in London.

***

On the way, on their private jet, Blaine had to use sterilized tweezers to remove the bullet, from Hadley's arm. She squirmed, and made a few faces of discomfort. he stitched it back up, and gave her some painkillers. He really did look after her, and she appreciated it. A lot, she knew she should really tell him that more than she did.

Bryce stayed quiet, but occasionally whined at the pain in his knee.

***

When the three arrived back in MI5, Edward gave them confirmation that the Ming vase would be returned to China, and that the cleanup crew had sorted out the two crime scenes. Bryce and Hadley ended up in the hospital wing, and getting looked after. And Blaine ended up in the bathroom, trying to get Bryce's words out of his head.

In truth? Yes, he did want Hadley, in a completely inappropriate way. How long had he cared? Far too long for his sore head to contemplate. All he wanted to do was sleep, he hadn't managed to on the jet, and he felt exhausted and exasperated.

Hadn't she picked up anything when they kissed? Nothing at all?

I don't want to think anymore.

 

I'm going home.


	13. Tackling Giants

Six months later

 

Tonight was the meal that was going to celebrate Stefan Finch's birthday. There was one massive problem though. Of course Hadley had been invited. But, so had Blaine, and they were not talking to each other. He was struggling to forgive her, for sleeping with Adam.

But what he didn't know was, that it had happened, again. Under completely different circumstances, mind. This time, both were sober, careful, and it was wonderful.

But, he wouldn't see it that way.

Neither Adam, nor Hadley were in love. They just got along, understood each other, and took pleasure in each other's company.

But, at some point, the agent accepted that she would have to speak to her techie nerd friend. She owed it to him.

***

Four months ago

Hadley heard smashing in Adam's apartment, and used her shoulder to barge her way through the door to it.

What she saw made her want to tear her eyes out, and her heart made it's way into her throat.

Adam was sat up, on the floor, shirtless, and blood covered his chest, and ran down his arms. His face was littered with bruises, and thin cuts.

The smell of his blood was heavy in the air. Thick, like an iron forge, and the agent barely held back her wretches.

She automatically went on autopilot mode, and walked over to the kitchen area, to fetch the first aid kit, under the sink. She grabbed it, and walked back over to the severely injured man, on the floor.

She knelt down next to him, and used some a towel, to wrench the huge, jagged edged shard of glass from his hand.

From the mirror, I take it. But shouldn't it have shattered? Not broken into shards?

Adam tried to get the shard back, but Hadley swattered his hand out of the way. It was a feeble effort on his part. He could have easily just moved her out of the way, and grabbed the shard of glass, but he really couldn't be bothered right now.

He'd been struggling, once again, and Hadley had almost missed the end, his destruction.

***

The Brit washed her hands, and got out some cotton wool balls, from the kit, and some antiseptic lotion. When he again tried to swat her hand away, whilst cleaning the cuts on his face, the woman burst into tears, and screamed at him. She couldn't take him being like that anymore.

"ADAM, STOP IT! Just stop, please". She used her sleeve to wipe her eyes. "Just stop it. Fuck, Adam, this isn't okay. This isn't how you deal with issues. I know you aren't happy. I know you think you're an aberration, a monstrosity. But, god, you aren't! If you want to scan me over with your fucking"...

Shit, I can't think. What the hell are they called again?

Ugh, fuck it...

..."Implements, than do it! But you need to know. I'm telling you the truth. Please, please let me help you".

The agent put the cotton ball down, and frowned at him.

Implements? The fuck are you on about?

Adam started laughing, and laughed until his chest hurt. Hadley just stared at him, confused, and then started laughing with him, unabashed.

Her prodding a clean cotton ball against his cheek made him stop laughing, and shake his head.

"Hadley I...".

Hadley waved her other hand and groaned. "If you weren't as injured as you are now, I'd have slapped you, multiple times by now. Can I clean you? And you could do with a bath, clean off the dried blood, then I'll bandage the cuts for you. Or do I have to supervise you, to make sure you don't try and drown yourself?"

Adam grimaced. "I can't drown. I'd end up having to come up for air, and vomiting the water out. I'm not a child, I can bathe myself".

The woman rolled her eyes. "Really? You sure you aren't a big baby? Sitting on the floor, playing with a toy? Okay, glass isn't a toy, sweetheart. It's kinda dangerous. Glass should only be used by responsible adults".

Now, it was Adam's turn to roll his eyes. "Ah, never mind that. The cheek of it. Now, shut up and let me clean and bathe you, like a good little boy. You never know, I may even reward you afterwards".

Now Adam smirked, and Hadley blushed, looking away. "Who says I meant that? Honestly, you perverted sod. Besides, you're injured". She gestured to the steady trickle of blood, running from a cut, near his ribs. "And I don't like being covered in other people's bodily fluids. Now, shush".

***

After half an hour, Adam's cuts had been cleaned, bandaged up, and he'd had a bath.

Not without Hadley, treating him like a fractious child, every five minutes.

God, he wanted to hate her, prove he was angry.

And he did, when he slammed his arm against the wall, mere millimeters away from her head. She shouted at him, and he'd heard enough.

But, he never intended on actually hitting her. Though, he'd definitely scared her. He didn't need his augments to see that.

Her hand drifted on to his cheek, and a cut. that had opened up again, when he snarled. She tutted, and pulled out a plaster, from her pocket. She unpeeled it, stuck it on, and kissed his cheek.

He was so warm, from his bath, and so was she. But her warmth was caused by him, and heightened by him.

"I behaved, didn't I? So, what do I get?"

Hadley smiled, and ducked under his arm. "You just got it".

But Adam stopped her, and pulled her back towards him. She shifted. "We can't. Not that I don't want too, but, unless you want a mini Adam, or god forbid, a mini me, or you want to accompany me, on the awkward walk to the clinic, then we can't".

Adam shook his head, and reached into his back pocket. He pulled out a condom packet.

Hadley's reaction mirrored her words. "Wha? Okay, I'm not even asking".

Adam mulled over his reply. "I figured if I'm going to start having sex again, I need to be careful. I can't just expect the woman to be. I need to be too".

The agent smiled, a serene and quite pretty smile. "How responsible. Okay Adam".

Hadley walked into his bedroom, and he followed her.

***

"Fuck though. A mini me? That would be a giant 'Fuck you' to the world".

Hadley giggled, and cuddled into Adam's chest. When he didn't respond, she figured he'd fallen asleep.

But when she heard sniffling, and moved away, and looked up. "Hey, hey now. What's triggered this?"

Adam shook his head and buried it into the pillow. The agent sat up, and lent down, near his ear.

"You aren't alone, you never will be. I know Sarif and your tech guy, I forget his name, annoy you, but you're never alone. Though, Adam? I can't always be there, when you fall. I'll be here, you'll be in Detroit most of the time. But, there's always someone there. Oh, you, come here".

As sobs wracked his prone from, Hadley moved, so she was almost on top of him, and cradled him, in his arms. He rolled over, onto his side, and lay his head on her chest.

Words failed him, but he hoped she knew what he'd say, if he could speak.

I know Hadley, I know...

***

Present day

Hadley fiddled with the buttons of her suit jacket. She'd chosen to go for the formal look tonight, for Stefan's party. Her hair was styled into a bun, and she wore a burgundy coloured suit, with a frilly white blouse underneath.

When she saw Blaine, who arrived a few minutes late, in a classic charcoal grey suit no less, she grit her teeth, and felt herself well up. She'd missed him more than she realised.

That, and she knew she had to tell him that she'd slept with Adam, a second time.

That'll be fun, her brain interjected.

The pair exchanged pleasantries, and headed into the dining hall.

***

Finch's house was gorgeous. A sumptuous pallet of golds, and burgundies. Huge paintings adorned walls, luxurious Victorian carpets, decorated with black, red and green flowers, with elegant, fluid stitching between them. Edward certainly loved all things Victorian, and the house felt regal as a result.

The dinner itself, was divine, although, neither Hadley or Blaine were used to three course meals, so they were full by the time they'd finished pudding. And then, the cheese, fruit and meat board came out, and the pair hid groans of discomfort.

The two put their gifts down, in front of Stefan and congratulated him. He revealed that he was going to be a father. Edward teared up and cheered, Rosalind squealed and hurried over to her son, to hug him. Cressida and Vivienne were excited too.

***

After letting their food settle for a while, Blaine asked Hadley, to meet him in the garden, so they could talk.

She did so, and let herself admire the few acres of land that Edward had.

"Hadley?"

She turned and saw Blaine, so she sat down on the wall, nearest him.

"Hey. It's been a while".

Hadley cursed in her mind.

Well, this is awkward. May as well just spit it out. Here goes almost thirteen years of friendship, right down the manky drain.

"You're right, it has. I said I'd explain myself, and I will. When I first met you, you annoyed the shit out of me. You were rude, impulsive and didn't take orders well. Then, I saw why, when I realised that I was a major asshole, and that you didn't take well to that. Not sure who does, really".

Hadley chuckled and nodded. "I still am rude and impulsive though".

Blaine chuckled in response. "And I'm still an ass, but, we are both way more tolerant then we used to be. You okay with me continuing?"

She nodded. "Okay. After my wife left me, I finally saw that I'm not a good man. I'd like to think I was, but I'm not. I got drunk, I partied, I barely spent any time with her. I get why she left now, and I am over that. But, quite some years later, I started seeing you differently. I felt like you and I understood each other, accepted each other. Hell, we could take the piss out of each other, rip each other to shreds, and we'd end up laughing. How many people can do that now, huh? People take things way too seriously though, and it's just crap".

Hadley agreed. "Yeah, we can make fun of each other. I love when I can do that, I never mean any harm by it, it's harmless. But people will think I'm harsh and nasty because of that. Instead of taking a few minutes, to think, this could be a joke, people just take offence, immediately".

"I fell for you, because you were, still are, unlike anyone I've ever met. You're witty, full of disgraceful, unfunny puns, that somehow make me laugh, and your mind is dirty as hell. I love that. You don't over-complicate things, or get too stressed about things. Things barely phase you sometimes, you keep a cool, level head, most of the time anyway, and you are fucking gorgeous. You are. You can say, I'm little, or tubby, or I'm old all you want. Being little is hot to me, really, I like that. Tubby? Fuck no, you aren't. And I prefer a bit of meat anyway. Old? What am I, if you are old, huh? I'm forty four, for fucks sake".

Hadley grinned, and laughed. "You're old...er".

Blaine laughed, and held his stomach. "Smartass. See? Witty".

Hadley's laugh died down, and she went quiet, linking her fingers, to stop from fiddling with them. "You're such a sweetheart Blaine. And now, I'm going to say something that's about to shatter you heart...".

He interrupted her. "You slept with Adam again, right? He told me".

The agent jerked back and her pupils were blown wide. She felt her eyes well up, so she looked away. "Look, I won't apologise for it. I don't regret it. You spoke with him? When?"

"A few weeks ago. He told me it meant nothing, but, I'm not too sure. Hadley, if you fancy him, just tell me. I won't lose it. When we spoke, I knew. He's a good guy really. He gives off the dark and brooding vibe. But he's a decent guy".

Hadley looked back and shook her head, so quickly, that her bun had started to fall down her head. "I don't. I don't want to be with him".

Blaine stood up, and fixed his tie. "And that's another reason why I love you. Because you're honest, regardless of the subject".

Hadley blinked away the tears on her lashes, and looked surprised. "You still love me, after I slept with another man, twice? How? Any other man would lose their mind!"

He shifted onto one foot. "I did. I hit him after the first time. But, it's my fault. I should have told you ages ago, that I cared. Then I could have gotten an answer, and hopefully walked away. But, I can't walk. I've tried. Leaving you was one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life. I feel empty without you, completely worthless".

Hadley stood up abruptly and took his hands. "Don't say that. You aren't worthless. Please, don't say that".

She continued. "So all these years, everything you did, you did because you love me? I thought that was just you being overly nice, but I liked that. So that's why I responded the way I did. Because I liked the niceties, and the praise, the help, the guidance. Shit, I missed all of it, the meaning behind it. It took another man, to make me learn too. Christ, I'm such a whore. And don't say I'm not, I am".

Blaine wiped away the tears, that were precariously perched on her cheekbones. "I won't argue with you. I don't expect you to feel the same as I do. I just want to let you know that I'm here, no matter what. And I won't jump on you, I'm not like that".

The Brit smiled. "I know. You've seen me in my underwear though, yet, I've not seen you. I call unfair".

The American stifled a laugh, and shook his head. "Maybe sometime in the future. Not now though, I look like I'm expecting a food baby".

Hadley looked at her own stomach, and sighed. "Me too. So this is what being pregnant feels like, huh. Ugh, I feel so heavy. Want to some back inside, get a drink, apologise to Stefan for just fucking off, out here, on his birthday?"

Blaine let go of her hands and nodded.

***

"Sorry Sir, forgive the panda look. I don't look my best, at the moment".

Edward sat next to her, in the dining room, and handed her a glass of scotch. "Nothing to forgive. So, have you two kissed and made up yet?"

Hadley's head shot around to face her boss, and she groaned. "NO! No, no no no no...no".

Cressida and Stefan, who were still in the room snickered, and the little girl ran up to the agent, and moved her arms up. Hadley picked her up and smiled.

"Hey sweetie. Hope you haven't eaten too much cake. Sorry Stefan, for just walking out before".

Stefan shook his head. "It's fine. I know you two needed to talk. Glad it's all sorted out. I'm not mad or anything. Thank you for the gift, by the way".

Hadley waved her hand. "It's nothing, and you're welcome".

The young man excused himself, leaving his Father and Hadley to talk.

***

"I'm rather glad that the two of you finally sorted things out too. I knew, you know. I saw the way he acted, especially around Adam. He acted like a territorial lion".

Hadley sighed, and tickled Cressida, who giggled. "Did everyone know?"

Edward shrugged. "I'm not sure, but they may have wandered".

"Fatherly advice, please?"

Edward nodded, and asked his daughter to leave the room. After she had, he motioned for his agent to continue speaking. "What the fuck do I do? I felt something, but I'm not sure if it's love or not. Right now, I just feel stuffed".

Her boss laughed. "Do you miss him a lot? Want him around? Feel safe around him?"

Hadley made a face. "Waxing rhetorical, right?"

"See? There's your answer. You won't always feel you heart beating faster around him. Love works differently for everyone. You don't always just know. You have to work, a lot of the time. It isn't easy. You give away everything to this person. They could potentially destroy you, but you trust that they won't".

Hadley sighed in relief and hugged him. "May be inappropriate this, but I don't care. I wish my father was like you. You seem to know everything. When you leave MI5, it'll be worse off for it".

Edward shook his head. "I know, through making many mistakes. That's how I learn. I've put Rosalind, and the children through a lot, and yet, they stick by me. They are my everything, and I couldn't bare to be without them. Keep Blaine close, Hadley, as friends, otherwise, or both".

The agent kept on hugging her mentor, until and small cough alerted them to Blaine, who was standing in the doorway.

"Is everything okay?"

Edward nodded. "It will be son..."

 

...it will be".


	14. In Lieu Of Evil

Moscow, Russia, 6th December 2026

 

Mikhail Koralev stood, in front of an interactive map of the world. He tapped on it and it brought up visuals of London.

"Bring me Hadley Groves. That shlyukha needs to pay for her insolence. We need Valentin back too".

His right hand man, Serge nodded. "Sir, what about Jensen and Jackson?"

Mikhail laughed. "No need to hunt them down. Once Hadley is caught, they'll come after her. This needs to come to an end. Where is she now?"

Serge walked beside his comrade, and traced the agent's signal, before her blip disappeared. "She's in Kyoto, Japan. Too late Blaine".

His superior nodded. "They all know too much. Once MI5 is taken down, the F.B.I and governments all over the world will fall, and Mother Russia will finally have what it deserves. Power, superiority. The world will burn, and we will bear witness to a new era. Control must be exercised".

***

London, MI5 headquarters, 8th December 2026

Blaine strolled into his office, after being reinstated as chief technology adviser, for the bureau. James could not handle the job, and although the older man did feel a little sorry for him, he knew that he wasn't up to the job.

After making sure the safety protocols were above par, employing new guards, and having the latest security cameras installed in the building, Blaine felt much safer. Getting into the building would be much tougher now, and the security checks would be through, even more so if the person came across as suspicious, or if the system flagged them up.

***

A few minutes later, Edward came out of the elevator, with a haggard looking Hadley.

When the two got to the tech chief's doorway, Edward's face paled considerably, and he suddenly looked much older than he was.

"Blaine, Hadley was followed home, again. The men only stopped because Adam spotted them, and made sure she was safe and secure".

Blaine's eyes widened. "Why didn't you tell me Had?"

Hadley looked terrified, and she was shaking. He'd never seen her so afraid before. "You were getting back on your feet. I didn't want to bother you".

Blaine clicked his tongue and shook his head. "That's bull. I've known you long enough to know when you're lying. You could never bother me, really".

A ping in his ear made him jump, and Adam spoke to him. "Blaine, I think I know who followed Hadley. I sent images of the men to Frank, since I knew James couldn't deal with the gravity of the situation. Frank?"

Frank chimed in, but not before taking a heaving breath. "Miss Groves?"

Hadley interrupted him. "You can call me Hadley, you know".

Frank nodded, with an impatient Sarif standing in front of him, motioning for him to continue.

"Hadley. The men who followed you home. They work for Mikhail Koralev. He's a notorious sociopath and murderer from Russia. He's involved with Serge Rihanoff, a politician, and a very influential man in the Kremlin".

Everyone suddenly felt very uncomfortable, and they all shifted nervously. Hadley held her head. "How the hell is he out of jail?!"

Frank sighed. "He has connections. And no doubt the reason they want you, and likely Blaine is because they know he can hack MI5's system, the system he put in place, so he knows how it works. They'd use you as bait, if he doesn't do what they ask, then you die".

Blaine groaned. "They want an all out war. With the info we have here, I bet those bastards would use it as bargaining power, to corrupt and steal more extremely sensitive info from the FBI, Interpol, Government servers. Aw shit".

Edward nodded. "They'll want Valentin back too. He told us of a hideout, in Moscow. He didn't tell us any more than that though. I believe Mikhail and Serge are new to the fray. Adam, where are you now?"

"In Hadley's apartment, securing it". He looked down at the crumpled up, unconscious agents on the floor. "Already taken care of two of them. They'll be more though, I'm sure of it".

"Adam, I can't go back to my apartment, nor can I stay here. Both places would be far too obvious. Same for Blaine. We need a safe-house".

Their boss nodded, and pulled some files from a drawer. "I know, old fashioned, but we cannot keep safe-house locations on our system, that would give them away too easily. And since we have already been hacked once by this terrorist group, I wouldn't put it past them to try again. It'll be strictly paper only for the time being. Everyone, turn off your communication units".

Everyone did as he asked, and he opened up the first file. "This location is quite car from here, so getting you two there would be risky. But, it's secluded, has the latest technology, and plenty of escape routes". He then picked up the second file. "This one is much closer, but too close to Hadley's apartment. She cannot go anywhere near that location, so that one is out".

Blaine stepped forward, and stood up straight. "Sir, the third one is close to my home, not too close, but that wouldn't be a good place. The first?" He lent over his boss' desk, and picked up the first file. "Hmm, it's forty five miles from here. Taking a squad would be obvious, it'd draw attention. The group will have men, scattered throughout London, but, if we can create a few diversions, we should be able to get past".

Hadley walked next to her colleague and nodded. "As in, perhaps having a few security cars go through the backstreets, main streets would spark too much interest from pedestrians. We'd have to be conspicuous though, we cannot assume that we are dealing with fools. Do we have files on Koralev and Rihanoff?"

Edward stood up, and opened a second, alphabetized drawer, until he reached the letter R. "We do on Rihanoff, but not Koralev. Intelligence teams have been massacred when trying to get any information on him. The Kremlin is hiding his background, and they won't be will to play ball, just for us, and our cause. They'd rather kill us all then negotiate".

The female agent looked considerably paler than she had earlier that evening. "Or, they'd negotiate, make it look like they'll assist us, and then kill us. Oh joy. I know I've had almost twenty years dealing with, pardon this Sir but absolute, utter twats, that I'd be used to threats and men looking for me by now". She sighed. "I'm not. You never get used to it. Should you even?"

Blaine put his hand on her shoulder, and shook his head. "No, fear is what keeps us on out toes, gets us out of insane situations. It gives us that boost of adrenaline that can save our lives. If you ever stop being scared, you stop being human. We cannot let ourselves become mindless androids, we just can't. The first safe-house, we'll go there. Since we cannot use our comms, or any form of communication device, we need to hand everything over, and we need a car without electronic devices, they can be hacked".

Hadley took out the SIM card and battery from her phone. She bent the SIM card in half, and threw everything into the bin, outside of Finch's office. She then took out her comm, dropped it, and stood on it, breaking it in two, in the process. Blaine then did exactly the same as her, before rejoining her.

"Adam, get back here, if you can. I can't keep in contact with you after Blaine and Hadley leave. Mr Pritchard, you can deal with any inquires Adam has, can you not?"

Frank grunted at the use of formalities, which he was not used too, but agreed. "I can Sir".

Edward thanked him, and took out his own comm unit. He, too destroyed his, and stood up. "Listen, you two". He walked in front of his two befuddled agents. "Whatever happens, stay together. I know, its awkward. But at some point, you need to talk things through. You may not have the time to wait much longer, with the men currently hunting you. Just, stay safe, don't go out without a fight". He smirked, prompting his agents to do the same. "Give them hell".

Hadley and Blaine both nodded, before leaving the office.

"Oh Sir! I know what to do with Valentin". Hadley walked back to her boss, and started whispering in his ear. Edward listened, laughed, and then nodded.

The pair picked up some food, and spare clothing from their lockers, before heading to the elevator.

***

Upon getting into the elevator, Blaine snaked his arm around Hadley's waist. She cuddled against his chest, and realised just how safe she felt with him, and how that had grown, over the years she had known him.

When she moved her head up, and whispered the same words she did to Edward, Blaine, too laughed, and so did she. When he stopped, she smiled. "See? That's another reason why I love you. You're so unorthodox, free thinking".

Hadley pointed to herself, and nodded. "I know, I'm amazing. So, the underground car park is how we'll get out of here? The roads are too risky, but the underground tunnels are another story. I'm glad they were not sealed up when MI5 was built".

Blaine nodded, and the pair stepped out, onto the underground car park floor. "Yeah. Now, we need an old car, something inconspicuous. Preferably not Edward's or he'd kill us himself".

Hadley spotted a 1970 dark purple Volkswagen Beetle and grinned at it. "Now that is totally Finch's. As long as we don't crash it, we'll be fine. That means...".

He cut her off. "That means that I'm the one doing the driving, right?"

His friend nodded, and found the car doors already open. She sat in the passenger seat and motioned for him to get in. "Yes, Captain Sensible. Now, hurry up, I want to get to the safe-house, before we end up dead, on the side of the road, or worse, kidnapped by the maniacs, okay?"

Blaine mock saluted and got in the car.

***

Two hours later

"Well, this place looks nice. I could totally live here...if I didn't hate the fluctuating temperature and constant raining here". She looked at the clock on the dashboard. "Midnight".

The pair got out of the car, and Blaine took out the house keys. They entered the house, and turned on the lights.

Surveying their surroundings, they both liked what they saw. A spiral staircase took up the left side on the room, and the right had two doors. One led to the living room, and the other, to the kitchen.

Hadley went into the living room, and opened her backpack. She took out a small bottle of vodka, and two cans of coke. "Blaine? Could you get some glasses please, and boil some water please?"

Blaine came into the room, with two glasses in hand. "Here". He smirked, and feigned annoyance. "Don't ask for much, do ya? Sheesh".

Hadley too the glasses, placed them in the table, and swatted at his arm, laughing. "Nope. You wouldn't have it any other way though".

"Oh, I would".

Hadley blushed, and gulped. She quickly poured some of the vodka into both of the glasses, and looked away from him. She bit her lip, but his words had another, more surprising effect on her.

His words made her feel a tinge of lust, they aroused her.

And honestly? She couldn't help but feel embarrassed. Blaine was just her friend, right? She shouldn't feel like that about a friend.

And she was acting like a love struck teenager, in awe of her first crush.

Instead of freaking out, she reached into her bag again, and pulled out two Pot Noodle pots, and put them behind her, without even looking at her 'friend'.

Blaine knew his words had struck a chord, but he wasn't sure which one.

So, he simply took the pots from Hadley's hands, and went back into the kitchen.

***

A while later, Blaine yawned, and Hadley caught him. "Aw, someone's tired. Go to sleep, I'll take the first watch".

Blaine stretched, but shook his head. "I saw you yawning earlier too missy. Never mind that".

His friend shrugged. "You're right, I am tired. Right, I'm going to get a shower, then I'm going to bed. Night".

The agent walked around the back of the sofa, and lent down. She put her arms around his neck and hugged him. He put his hands on top of her arms, looked up, and nuzzled her. She panicked a little and the pink of her cheeks darkened a shade. "Don't. I don't know what I'd do. And besides, we need all of our strength, in case we need to suddenly flee from here".

Blaine wouldn't let go of her. Instead, he tightened his hold and smiled. "So that's what you were thinking, huh? You're not the only one".

Hadley wriggled free, and yawned. "Oh yeah, it's been ages, hasn't it?"

Her friend groaned. "Don't remind me".

Hadley snickered, and walked halfway up the stairs. "Go and sort it out then".

Blaine shot up, and growled. "Yeah, cause that wouldn't be awkward in the slightest, would it?"

Hadley walked back down, and covered her mouth. "Want me to then?"

The make agent put a hand over his eyes and his mouth formed an 'O'. "That's even MORE AWKWARD. Just...just, go to bed Had. Please. Torturing me is isn't fair".

His begging did make the agent feel quite bad, and she shook her head in apology. "I'm sorry honey. I know, the time just isn't right. I just want you to know though". She walked to him, and took his other hand. "I do care. It may not seem like it at times, but I do. More than I admit too. Feelings like this are new to me, but, they make me feel happy. I don't feel like cynical bitch me, with you".

She moved away, took her backpack and went back up the stairs, to a bedroom. She unpacked some clothes to wear as pajamas, some shower gel, and a towel. She then slipped into the shower.

***

Downstairs, Blaine was completely out of it. He'd calmed down considerably, thank god. If he got any more worked up, he may well have had to sort out the pressing, uncomfortable 'issue' down below.

He decided to take a different bedroom than Hadley, he didn't want her to think he was even more of a pervert than she already thought.

Then again, she was a pervert too, even worse than him at times. Would she really mind sharing a room? A bed?

They had previously, just to sleep, nothing more. But then, it wasn't like it was now. Danger didn't hound them, chase them. They could rest easily.

Tonight? For every second they slept, their enemy could be getting closer. Knowing that, would they even rest?

***

Hadley stepped out of the shower, dried herself and slipped on her spare clothes. She got under the plush, thick cream coloured duvet, and instantly felt her weary eyelids start to close. She nestled her head into the pillow, and closed her eyes. A knock on the door made her reopen them.

She knew who it was, and pulled up the spare side of the duvet for him.

Blaine slipped in beside her, and pulled her close to him. She turned to face him, and moved even closer. She placed a hand on his jaw, and planted her lips on his softly. He returned the kiss, and put both of his hands in her hair. She relaxed into him, and lay her head on his chest.

 

He felt a wave of tiredness hit him, and he really didn't want to fight it, so he closed his eyes, and breathed in the sleeping woman's next to him's scent. That helped him drift off, hopefully, into a dreamless sleep.


	15. Underline

10 am

Hadley woke up alone, and fairly late for her. She yawned, stretched, and heard a few clicks. She groaned. She really was getting too old for all this spy stuff.

A soft sound made her wake up a little more. She heard the shower stop, and turned over, but hid her face under the duvet cover. She felt a little bashful, and part of her hoped that the man coming out of the shower only wore a towel, and a smile.

She suddenly felt nineteen again, the age she lost her virginity. That night she was anticipating, with a flutter of nervousness and excitement. The man she lost it too was a wonderful, patient, calm man, who took all the time she needed to get comfortable with the situation. She felt that giddiness she had that day, right now.

It made her wonder.

Is this what it's like to be in love? If it is, then...

The agent heard the bathroom door open. She kept her head under the cover.

***

Blaine stepped out of the bathroom. He knew Hadley wasn't asleep, but he decided to make her believe that he did, so he lay next to her again, but on top of the duvet. Hadley popped her head back up, and giggled.

"Morning Sergeant".

Her companion raised an eyebrow. "It's been a long time since you called me that".

She grinned. "Yes, it has. So, I'm sleeping with my ex-boss hmm?" He nodded and moved that little bit closer. He took her hand and placed it his chest. Only then did she notice that he was shirtless, and was only wearing a towel, and a smile. "Finally, I get to see you. So, that's what's been under your shirt, all this time. You have a scar?"

Hadley's fingers stopped tracing Blaine's skin, and hovered, just under his right peck, above a deep looking, dark pink gouge. He nodded. "I have a few. That one is from shrapnel. This one", he moved onto his stomach, and put her hand on his lower back. "That one's from being shot. Luckily, it missed any vital organs. Would have bled out otherwise. And the one on my hand? I was showing off to the guys back in the army. I was flipping a knife, and failed to catch it. Almost took my thumb off".

Blaine flinched, but the female agent took his mind way off his own body, when she sat up, with her back to him, and pulled up her top. He saw a long, thin cut, that looked fairly new. She took his hand, and placed his fingers on it. "That's from a switchblade. One of the men in Kyoto slashed at me with it. I thought he'd missed. But, when the adrenaline wore off, I felt a stinging sensation on my back, and my top clung to the wound. Any deeper, and it would have pierced my kidney. It's not the worst injury I've ever had".

Blaine's hand massaged down her spine and she shivered.

This was going way too far, way too fast. She wasn't scared of intimacy, but, she also wasn't used to it. With Adam, sure, it wasn't cold, or meaningless...

...It certainly wasn't romantic though. In the situation now, her body felt much different. His touch felt like she'd been under hot water, her skin felt sensitive, almost too much.

She decided to move away, and moved to the other side of the bed. "I'm going to get up. Make some brunch".

Hadley walked past Blaine, but he grabbed her hand. She didn't look at him, she couldn't. Right now, her brain was scrambling around and it made her uncomfortable.

He sounded upset. "Had, are we okay?"

She nodded. "Of course".

She extricated her hand from his, and walked to the closet. She picked out a grey, button up shirt, and a pair of dark red jeans, before heading into the bathroom.

Blaine sighed, and lay back down.

Why do you feel the need to lie to me? You don't even realise it, do you? It hurts me when you lie. We aren't okay, are we?

***

Ten minutes later

Hadley was now in the kitchen, making some French toast. The moment Blaine entered the room, the already tense atmosphere erupted.

"Hadley, at least be honest with me. You owe me that much".

She flinched. "No, we aren't okay. Every time I feel something for you, I panic and run away. I'm scared of that, not you. You're so affectionate, I'm not, so when I get that, I don't know how I'm supposed to react to it".

Blaine sat behind the island worktop. "You already react to it, and for the most part, it's good. I'm not asking you to just give in, and instantly fall. I know you may never feel the way I do. It's just tough, accepting that".

Hadley finished making the toast and plated up. She turned and put it in front of her colleague. "Then don't. Show me what feeling this way does to you".

Her friend simply stared at her, with an open mouth. "Wha...really?"

She nodded and passed him some coffee. She sat near him, and both ate their toast in silence.

***

When they were done, Blaine got out his laptop, and secured a connection, to the security cameras, that were situated, all around the house.

"Seems fine out. I can't help but feel like something is wrong though".

Hadley shook her head. "I think we'll be okay. Reckon they've found Valentin yet?"

He smirked. "I'll bet they have. They'll hate us even more for what we did to him".

***

9 am: London, United Kingdom

"Valentin's signal is here".

The masked men walked up to Hadley's apartment door. One kicked it down, and the two ran in, guns drawn.

They found their man, cable-tied to a chair, with duct tape over his mouth. There was a note on his chest, and one of the men yanked it off.

It simply said:

'Fuck you'.

The two men cut the ties on Valentin's hands, and pulled off the tape on his mouth. They dragged him up, and pulled him to the elevator.

Once inside their car, one of the men punched Valentin. "Where is Hadley Groves? WHERE?"

The man spat out a mouthful of blood and groaned. "My guess? A safe house. None in the city, that would be too obvious, so must be the outskirts".

A call signaled that the other team had found the location of Hadley, and Blaine. They were told to fly back to Moscow, so they left for the airport.

***

"Wait, somethings wrong. Someone's looped the footage".

Hadley grabbed a gun. "Fuck me".

Blaine smirked. "What, now? I'd say we have a few minutes". He stood up, and grabbed a gun for himself. He walked next to her, before shooting his laptop. "And besides". He moved his head by her ear, and laughed when she shivered. "I'm not in the mood for a quickie".

Hadley stared at him, and threw herself at him. She kissed him for a few seconds, before noticing a laser sight red dot, right next to her face. She pushed her colleague down, and then dived on top of him.

"Yeah yeah, don't get ideas. I know you've wanted me like this for a while now, but this isn't the time for, intimacy. Although, I'm kinda turned on by this".

Blaine shook his head. "Honestly H, you are mad. Can you move?"

Oh...heh.

She looked down. "Am I making the blood go from your brain to your groin?"

He shifted her. "Yes, and I need to think straight here, don't want to die yet".

She smiled, before getting into a crouched position. "See? A frank answer. I like that".

"Er Had, don't breathe".

"Wait, what?"

He picked her up and ran upstairs.

***

"What was that about?"

Blaine huffed. "Had, they threw in a smoke bomb, it just diffused slowly, so they thought we wouldn't notice it".

Hadley was angry. "Shit, I didn't see it. Thanks for saving my blind ass. We need comms".

Blaine pulled out a briefcase, from under his bed, and opened it. He took out two comms, and handed one to her.

"Sir, we've been compromised".

Edward and Adam's voice merged, both shocked. "What?"

Adam held his head. "How?"

Hadley put her hand on her forehead. "Look, I don't know. But the Russians and Armenians are here. They may be after you too, and your family. Adam, where are you?"

"In Finch's office".

"Okay. Sir, we need to get...".

Muffled whimpers were heard, and Edward's eyes widened, as his laptop screen began to show an image of his wife, son, and daughters, being held at gunpoint, in his house. His fists clenched, when he realised who was pointing the gun.

Koralev...

"Well now. I'll make this simple for you, Mr Finch. Hadley Groves and Blaine Jackson will hand themselves over, and no one here shall die. Pretty simple, hmm? A fair agreement, no?"

Hadley and Blaine went white, and felt like throwing up. She looked at him, and he knew she would give in to Koralev's demands.

"Okay. We will do as you ask. Where?"

Mikhail smiled. "Here, at Finch's house. The men there will bring you".

Three heavily armed men came into the bedroom. Both agents held up their hands, and walked down the stairs.

***

The journey to Edward's home was a somber one. It took over an hour of being cramped, cuffed, and constantly having the butts of guns shoved in the agent's faces.

When they arrived, the two handed themselves over to Koralev, and he couldn't resist one last, nasty line, directed at Edward.

"You need better security. Oh, and Mr Jensen won't be alive for much longer. Miss Groves and Mr Jackson will pay the price for your failures".

He motioned for his men to leave the house. A team arrived and checked up on Finch's family.

All they could do, without making the situation worse, was to put their weapons down, and watch, as Hadley and Blaine getting dragged out of Finch's house, and bags being put over their heads.

Mikhail looked at the men, who were all gritting their teeth.

"Go and do your jobs. Obey your master, like the good little dogs that you are".

He got into his car, and it sped off, following the van that contained the two MI5 agents.

***

Hadley knew where they were headed, and shifted around, until she hit Blaine's side. She lay her head on his shoulder, as the drug she'd been injected with started to take effect.

She passed out, everything hazing into black nothingness, and he passed out not long afterward.

***

7th February, Moscow, Russia, 2026

Hadley's world blurred as she roused from a restless, drug induced sleep. Her head hurt, and her wrists did, as she tried to move them. Plastic dug into them, cable ties, and she hissed out her pain. Wherever she was, the room smelt clinical, medicinal.

A voice, and a hazy shape in front of her forced her to try and keep her eyes open.

"Miss Groves. How fortunate that you could join us".

She recognised the voice. "Koralev. How unfortunate that you brought me here. I'd rather not cramp your sadistic style".

The Russian laughed, a deep drawl of a sound. "Please, my style is more, nuanced than that. I take pride in watching people squirm".

Hadley scoffed, her vision improved enough, so she could almost see his facial features. "Urgh. You mean, you take pleasure in it. You get off on it, so to speak".

Mikhail nodded. "I do. Sometimes, it's better to harm someone, rather than talk. Talking is so, very, dull".

He enunciated each syllable there, making her squirm, just as he'd wanted her too. He then left the room.

A man walked past the door of her room, and he had blood on his shirt.

Hadley, whose vision was back to how it usually was gasped, her eyes went wide.

Jesus...Blaine. No, please, no.

***

Over half an hour later, during that time Hadley barely stopped herself from wailing, in pain, and frustration, Mikhail came back, with Rihanoff this time.

Serge looked her over. She spat on the ground, before he smacked her across the mouth. He went to hit her again, but his 'boss' held him back.

"Stop. She has behaved, been a very good girl, haven't you, Miss Groves? I think we should reward her. Unlike her collegue".

The two laughed, prompting Hadley to curse. "What did you do to him?"

Mikhail shook his head. "We will make him see clearly, is all. Bleach ought to do it".

"No! Oh come on. For someone who calls themselves 'nuanced', you use tricks that any old criminal could use".

Serge grabbed a wet wipe, and wiped the drying blood, from Hadley's chin. "Simple means, simple tactics. Why waste a good death on someone unworthy?"

The agent closed her eyes, only for him to grab her, and force them open.

"Only seconds ago, your friend was murdered. He deserved it, American pig".

Hadley changed tactics. "Ooookay then. So, how do I avoid becoming a dead, British pig, hmm?"

Oh, he knew a way, and so did Mikhail.

She wasn't stupid, she knew what they were thinking.

Wait, hang on...

Hadley knew he was lying about Blaine. "It couldn't have been seconds ago. I saw a man, he must have been the one to hit Blaine about five minutes ago, walking away from his room. So if it did happen, it was at least". She looked at the clock. "Six minutes ago".

Mikhail clapped mockingly. "Very observant, aren't you?"

"Part of the job description".

Serge cut the ties on her feet. He yanked her up, and sat under her.

That? Really now?

"Go on then, rape me. Cut the ties on my wrists, and I'll make it more interesting for you, promise".

Serge stopped his movements, and frowned. "Oh, did that stop you? Does me not fighting turn you off? Ah, you want me on my back, thrashing around, right? No, no honey. I'm going to put you on your back. Not for the reason you think, and it'll hurt".

She smirked, and the man raised his hand again, whilst the other one went for his belt buckle.

"Fuck me to death? I suppose there are worse ways to go".

Multiple thuds next door made Mikhail scarper, but Serge stayed where he was. He ground his hips against her, and she felt like vomiting. She could feel he was clearly loving her torture. The clicking of the safety being taken off a gun, and a familiar man standing before her made her sigh with relief.

***

Blaine walked in, and pulled him from under his friend. "Get off her, or your brains get blown out, and all over these walls".

He walked behind Hadley, and grabbed a scalpel, to cut the ties. She flexed her wrists, and stood up.

"He said you were dead".

She kicked the Russian in the face, and he smacked the floor hard.

"Didn't believe him for a second. I knew you were more resilient than he gave you credit for".

Blaine grabbed Serge by the shoulder, and shot him, point blank, right between his eyes.

"Fools, the lot of you. Hadley, you okay?"

Hadley grimaced. "Honestly? Nope. But you look worse. It'll take more than makeup to cover that. What happened?"

Blaine held his jaw, and shrugged. "The asshole you saw walking past? He decided to make me his bitch, and slap me about, for a good twenty minutes. Thing is, he hit like a little kid. It was Mikhail who did this damage". He pointed to a large purple and red bruise, right near his eye.

Hadley put her arms around him. "Lets get out of here, AFTER we take care of prison boy".

He laughed. "Lets. Watch though, the guy's a sociopath. Loves smacking the shit out of people".

She shook a little. "Wanted to stick his half an inch Russian cock in me too. And Serge".

Blaine growled, which she found rather attractive. "I swear to god. If they did that, I'd have ripped it off, made them eat it, shot them in the balls, ripped them off, and then shoot them in the head".

"Woah. FBI training teach you that? Rather extreme, don't you think?".

He shook his head. "Never. No one will ever hurt you again. That, I swear".

Hadley looked at the floor. "You can't promise that".

She walked off, leaving him to think.

You're right...

...I can't.

***

Along the way, Hadley stole Uzi's and Blaine took a Kalashnikov.

He was ambushed by Koralev, and Hadley ran the opposite way to them.

She rounded a corner, than moved back. At least ten men stood in the corridor, armed to the teeth, ready to gun her down.

She sighed. "Boys, we can do this the easy way, or my way".

The men laughed collectively, and one clicked his tongue. "And what, exactly, is your way?"

She just laughed. "My way? Well, that a closely guarded secret. If you continue to misbehave however, you may well get to learn what that is".

"Lets just shoot her, I'm done talking".

"I'd rather splatter your brains all over the walls, and decorate the floor with your blood. But, the easy way is better, morally, and much less", she took a deep breath, "messy".

The soldiers ignored her, and shot at the wall. Hadley ducked. She gave up on the less violent option, and rolled to the wall opposite her. She pulled both triggers, and killed almost all of the men.

"Fine. I'll kill you all. Could have gone simpler, but no. Oh well". She sighed again, and picked off the remaining men.

***

Mikhail spotted her, and ran at her. Blaine threw himself at the Russian, and punched him.

"Blaine". He yanked out the man's comm, and ran into a room with a computer.

"Hack the system, get it onto our...no, onto Sarif's frequency. We need Frank and Adam's help".

He nodded, but noticed Mikhail was starting to wake up. Hadley picked up a plant pot, and smashed him over the head with it.

"Right. If this has worked...Sir?"

Sarif perked up, and so did Frank. "How did you...".

Blaine sighed. "Look, there's no time to explain. Hadley and I are in the Moscow facility. Is Adam here?"

Frank found Adam, and he wasn't far from their location. "He is".

"Right, I need directions out of here. This place is huge. And they have us at a massive disadvantage here, as they know this place, inside and out. We don't".

Adam was patched through, and Blaine found another comm. He gave it to Hadley, and tuned her in.

"Adam? Fuck, am I glad you are here. We knocked out Koralev, and Rihanoff is dead. But we can't get out. This place is underground, so not sure how long we'll be able to talk, signal wise".

Frank jumped in. "Unless they signal-jack you, you should be fine. Blaine? I have the floor maps, and you're right. The facility is forty feet underground, and have five large floors. The helipad has a key card and pass code lock".

Hadley looked at a now twitching Mikhail. "My guess? Dick of the year here has both". She walked over to him, and grabbed his key card. "He won't give us the number".

"I'll hack it".

They all agreed to that. Blaine shut down the hacked laptop and destroyed it.

"Thanks Adam. Right, to the second floor".

The two ran up the stairs, to meet Adam, and get the hell off this insane place.

Mikhail regained consciousness, and fumbled around in his pocket. His key card had disappeared.

He stood up shakily, shook out his limbs, raised the alarm, and went into a room.

He grabbed a Colt Python, intent on murder.

***

The alarm blaring panicked the two agents, as they finally met up with Adam. Bodies littered corridors, everywhere they went, and powerful shots made them flinch.

"Jesus, there must be what, three hundred men here? And all of them are dead. None of them had to die".

Hadley felt sick. "I know, they likely had families too. They gave that all up, for this. Death and destruction".

Blaine and Adam went to find Koralev, and kill him, leaving Hadley alone.

Moments of absolute silence passed, leaving her on edge. Mikhail appearing suddenly startled her.

She back-flipped away from the seething Russian, who charged her. He raised his gun, and Hadley dropped to the ground.

"Blaine, Adam, where the fuck are you two? Finally getting along? Playing buddy buddy now are we?"

Mikhail shot her in the arm, and she screeched.

"Silly little devushka. You honestly thought you would get away? Come here".

She screamed for Blaine and Adam, in a desperate attempt, to get them to come back.

He picked her up, using her injured arm. She hissed at him. He pulled her into a room, before she could scream, and covered her mouth with a hand.

"Unless you want to die, I'd do what I ask".

He took his hand away and shushed her, when his free hand went up her thigh. He pressed the magnum against her temple.

"You can scream all you want, Miss Groves. My men will kill the Americans, and those in your ear? I'll let them listen. I'll make you sing, and you'll beg me to stop. But I won't. They'll hear me making you call my name, mercy isn't something I care for".

Hadley couldn't look Koralev in his cold, dead, dark grey eyes. She closed her lighter grey eyes, and went along with what he wanted.

***

Mikhail groaned, when he shoved one of her hands down his fatigues. The bile rose in Hadley's throat, and she didn't know if she could swallow it down. She jerked him off, knowing full well that she was about to vomit, all over him. Her arm wound was making her feel faint too, adding to the nauseous feeling.

"I...I need, need to sit down".

Mikhail wouldn't let her. Instead, the free hand went straight under her pants, and she shook her head at him, and shifted. She couldn't move his hand away, and she hated that.

"Oh, you're dry".

Hadley rolled her eyes, wishing she hadn't milliseconds later. 

"Wonder why, huh? Oh yeah, cause I don't want this".

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Blaine, holding a shotgun, with wide eyes, staring back at her. Internally, she cheered, but externally, she had to keep her cool.

When Mikhail's hand dared to move under her underwear, she had enough, and moved away from his gun, only to be shot in the shoulder. Her scream attracted both Adam and Blaine's attention, and the pair ran into the room. Adam flung the Russian behind him, tossing him aside like a doll. Blaine ran in, and looked at the two bullet holes in her arm. The bullets had gone straight though, one smashing her shoulder to bits, and the other, fractured her forearm.

She couldn't keep the bile in much longer. She stuck her head over the desk, and threw up, all over the chair. Coughing only made it worse and it came out of her nose too. It didn't seem to stop, and she felt like passing out again, when strong arms wrapped around her waist.

She was white as a sheet, and Blaine panicked. "Hey, hey now. Stay with me. Adam, is your pilot still topside?"

Adam nodded, and punched Mikhail, who spat out a tooth.

"Got it". Before he left, with Adam and Hadley, he picked up the Colt Python, and shot Mikhail in the crotch. The older man screeched.

As he went to shoot him again, a rogue soldier he and Sarif's agent had missed shot him, and Hadley. This time, in her chest. She keeled over, and he bellowed out the word no.

He shot this man, then killed Mikhail.

He turned to Hadley, whom Adam was trying to help. He scanned her wounds.

"The bullet is near her lung. If it punctures that, or a rib does...".

Blaine filled in the blanks. "Then she's fucked". He looked at his side, and blood stained his shirt.

"I can't carry her. That bullet broke at least one rib, and fractured some more".

Ada picked her up, and the three walked to the roof.

***

The ex SWAT member hacked the gate pass code, and took the key card from Hadley's pocket. The three made their way to Malik, who knew they needed to get to hospital immediately.

***

On the way there, Hadley started fading in and out of consciousness. She found it increasingly harder to breath. The men who helped her had to lay her down on the floor, due to her chest injury. Blaine lay next to her, and took her hand, Adam took the other.

When the younger man looked at the older, he knew she wasn't going to make it. Tears left Blaine's eyes, and he bit his lip, to stifle his sobs. His light brown eyes looked the woman he loved over, and he couldn't believe it.

Hadley's hand in his sand coloured hair made his tears increase, and he couldn't look at her anymore.

She knew, she understood why, but wished that he would look at her. At least she would die next to her friend.

Friend? No, it's more than that. I know that now.

"Blaine?"

He wiped away the tears, and looked at her.

One last time...

"Thanks for putting up with me, for all this time. Brave, mad maybe?"

He just squeezed her hand. "Don't waste your breath Had. You're gonna make it, okay?"

Hadley looked at Adam, and nodded to him. He nodded back, but felt his throat constrict, and a sob rising from it.

Shit. She has to make it.

Malik's voice faded in and out of Hadley's hearing. She tried to keep her eyes open, but she couldn't.

"No, Hadley. Don't close your eyes".

But, she did, and both Adam and Blaine choked.

Adam was going to lose another friend, on his watch too.

And Blaine?...

 

...He was about to lose another woman he loved.


	16. La Vita Di Noi

"Adam, what's happening?"

Sarif's voice pinged in the eardrum of an angry man. The angry man in question was Adam. He sat, in a rock hard hospital chair, feeling thoroughly pissed off, at the strange stares he was getting. Like no one in this hospital had ever seen an augmented person in their lives.

He bit his tongue. "Well, Hadley and Blaine are in surgery, and the docs tell me both could die. Both have bullets, lodged near their lungs, and a few broken, and shattered ribs. It'll take a while before I know any more".

Edward was now at home, trying to comfort his wife, children, and his son's heavily pregnant girlfriend. The Police were there too, and Interpol. Everyone wanted in on the action. Even a few journalists had turned up, which made the boss of MI5 want to go out there and shout at them, regardless of what they would write about him afterwards.

"Whatever the cost, I'll pay it. Both are like family to me, and I won't let them go without the best possible care".

Many hours later, a doctor came out of the operating theater, and he shook his head.

"Mr Jensen? I have news, and it isn't pretty".

Adam gulped and blinked several times.

***

San Diego, 2021

Hadley sat in a packed club, with a cranberry daiquiri in her hand. Blaine sat, not far from her, and kept an eye on the entrance to the club.

"Here's Roan. Shit, who's she?"

Hadley turned and saw a tall blond, standing next to her target. "Dammit, he brought a fuck with him? Couldn't he have waited until later? Come here Blaine. You have to get her attention. Get her away from him".

Blaine looked the woman up and down and grinned."Eh, not that hard to do. She's gorgeous".

A huff in his earpiece made him chuckle. "Jealous?"

Hadley bit her lip, as he sat next to her. "A bit. She's a model, that's obvious. That and, I've put on a few pounds".

"You're fine, trust me. That dress is, fuck, it's gorgeous".

The agent looked at her dress and grinned. It was a floor length, midnight blue silk dress, that covered her chest and legs, but hugged her curves.

The woman finally got near their table, and teetered about, on far too high heels, and Blaine got up, to 'bump' into her. "Oh, sorry".

The woman giggled, clearly already tipsy. "Heh, that's fine, but". She put her head by his ear, and he looked away from her cleavage. "Buy me a drink, make up for it".

Blaine nodded. "Oh, I'll do more than make up for it, trust me".

The pair walked off, and Hadley stood up, making it look like she and Blaine had a row, before storming to the bar.

***

Jeremy Roan too, was at the bar, and had noticed his girl, leaving with another man, to the far end of the club.

Hadley stood away from him, and lent on the bar, flashing the man some leg. That thigh slit in her dress had him licking his lips.

"Bad day?"

Hadley bit a plum lip and looked at him. "Yeah, could say that". She glanced back at Blaine, and snarled. "Seems he has a type".

Roan nodded. "She is hot. Bitch left me though. Proved she is just a slut, I thought she was".

The agent frowned at his derogatory terms for the woman. "Sorry to hear that".

Roan moved closer, and winked. "Care to keep me company?"

Hadley pretended not to care, and picked at a long, black painted nail. "Maybe. Why should I?"

Roan's deep Australian accent purred down her ear, and she gulped. He was turning her on, and this had never happened before.

"Come on darling, I'm not that bad, am I?"

He really wasn't joking. He stood at 6'3, his eyes were golden pools, shimmering with mischief, and his face and body looked like they'd been sculpted by an artist. He was beautiful, and he knew it.

Hadley flattered him, looking down quickly, and seeing something interesting was happening to him.

"Not bad? You're hot. Come here, maybe we can make each other feel better".

Jeremy groaned, and bit her earlobe. She yelped, and stared at him. Her pupils were wide, and her breath slightly laboured.

"You can lie all you want love. But your body is speaking volumes".

Hadley drank the rest of her drink, and nodded. "Yours is a hardback".

Roan squinted at her joke, and then grinned. "Oh, oh, you're bad. Get me a beer, I'm off to take a piss".

***

"Blaine! Come here please".

Blaine stopped flirting, and excused himself, to the bar.

"I may well have to fuck Marina, Had. She won't take no for an answer, and god, if she keeps running her hand over my leg, I will lose it. She's making me hard".

Hadley grabbed the shot she ordered, and threw it back. "Fuck, that's strong. Screw her then, we need info, and she is pissed. Need to sober her up. If Roan told her anything, we need to know. He can't get away with kidnapping more girls. She may well be a victim too, if we can't get her out of here".

Blaine slapped himself a few times. "Making it look like you hate me".

Hadley grimaced. "Have fun. Honestly, I need a fuck too, but, not him. He is far too dangerous, and, kinda sexy. Shit".

She cursed several times. Roan came out of the bathroom, and she slapped Blaine.

He got Cindy a bottle of water, and as he left, he whispered. "Do it then, just be careful, don't drink anything he buys you, and I'll see you later".

***

"The fuck was he doing over here?"

Hadley drank another shot. "Just getting more drinks, ply her. Here's your beer".

Roan took out a cigar. "Sod him, he won't get her. She's that drunk, she'll pass out during".

Roan laughed. "If she does, he's doing it right. So, where's that beer?"

Hadley moved it over to him, and he grabbed it. He took a deep swig of the tarte drink, and sighed.

"So, you game for a fuck?"

Hadley jumped out of her seat, prompting a laugh from Roan. "It's been that long, huh? Let me help you out?"

The agent threw down another shot, this one took on a bright blue hue, and made her throat burn. "Urgh, that one was horrid. And, yes, I am actually".

Jeremy nodded. "Come on then".

He offered his arm, and Hadley linked hers.

She heard an apology from Blaine, and tried not to show her reaction.

She couldn't let anything give her away. She needed to destroy her comm unit, incapacitate Roan, and meet up with Blaine...

After he'd done his thing with Marina.

***

Four hours later

Hadley sat in her car, waiting for Blaine. When he eventually arrived, the look of guilt on his face made her feel uncomfortable.

"Thought I wouldn't regret that. But, I do. I feel like crap. Shouldn't have done that".

Hadley tried to put on a brave face. "That bad was she?"

Blaine laughed. "No, god no. I just don't feel right about it. There's a reason I don't do one night stands. They are far too cold, they mean nothing. Sex for the sake of it isn't what I want. Anyway, what about Roan?"

Hadley grinned. "Look in the trunk".

Blaine opened the door, and looked in the trunk. He barked out a laugh, when he saw an unconscious, tied up Roan, all curled up, in a ball.

He got back into the car, and smirked. "Amazing, as always H. So, you and him...".

Hadley waved her hands. "Never. I don't care that he looks like he belongs on the cover of GQ Magazine".

Blaine patted her shoulder, and shook his head. "You were into him before. What happened? Was he really that bad?"

Hadley sighed. "Well, we left to his hotel room, penthouse suite, no surprise there. He mentioned Marina, and said he couldn't give a toss about her. Then, he got out some two hundred year old wine, I said no, which pissed him off, immensely. He realised I wouldn't drink anything he offered, without me seeing him pour it. I tried some. It tasted disgusting, but, I grit my teeth through it. Not a swallow girl, but, eh, I did so".

Blaine laughed. She continued. "As I knew I was driving back to the hotel, I didn't want to drink too much, so I declined, and asked where his bathroom was. The moment I stood, he was on me, and...".

Blaine squinted. "And?"

"And he wasn't anywhere near as sleazy as I thought he'd be. He actually bothered to make me feel good. Well, for a few minutes, before I knocked him unconscious. Used a vase. I hope it wasn't a priceless one". The agent made a face. "Yikes".

"Ah. I thought you said you wanted some though".

Hadley nodded. "I do, but as I said, not him. And I don't do one night stands, so, I guess I'll just have to become a nun".

Blaine laughed, and cuddled her. "No need for that".

Hadley began the drive to the hotel, and Blaine fell silent.

He really felt terrible, for sleeping with Marina, but, he'd stay strong, for Hadley.

He cared about her, and yet, he slept with someone else? He didn't know if his colleague felt anything in return, and he didn't wish to make things awkward, or strain their friendship.

So, he kept his feelings to himself.

A random thought voiced itself.

"I even left Marina a sorry note. Gave her my number too. I want to at least chat with her, properly I mean".

Hadley laughed. "So sweet".

Blaine rolled his eyes, but smiled at the sentiment.

***

Present Day

"What's happening?"

The doctor shook his head. "We have successfully removed the bullets, from both patients. Both are out of surgery. However, Miss Groves vitals keep dropping, and Mr Jackson may well need augmented lungs. Both will need at least a year of recovery time".

Edward interjected. "If he needs it, do it".

Adam groaned. "Sir, do you want Blaine to end up a slave to Neuropozene? I know what too much, or too little can do to a person".

The doctor tried to calm the men. "We don't know for certain if he will need them, However, if he does, I promise you both, we will work out the precise amount of Neuropozene he needs".

Adam felt annoyed, but kept it in check and nodded. "I need to go back, see how they are doing".

The doctor walked away and through the ICU ward door.

***

Blaine woke up, groggy and dizzy. His vision swam and he had to shut his eyes, to refocus it. When he was able to see again, without his eyes tearing up, he looked around the large white, clinic room. He tried to move, but his limbs felt like jelly, and pain lanced through his body. He tucked his chin to his chest, with quite the effort on his part, and saw incision scars, on his rib cage.

His ribs, he was shot, and the bullet almost cracked some ribs. The surgeons had to cut him open, to remove the bullet.

Hadley...

Was she okay? She'd been shot twice after all.

The agent looked around the room, and found he was alone, the only thing keeping him company, was the steady continuous beep, of the heart monitor. Various IV bags were on stands, next to him. One needle was for food, the other fluids. His arm had plasters all over it.

"Ah, you're awake".

Blaine tilted his head, and saw a smiling man, with a clipboard.

"Good morning Mr Jackson. I am Doctor Winkler. I will be assisting you, in your recovery. How are you feeling?"

Blaine blinked and squinted. "Urgh, I feel like shit. How long was I out?"

Dr Winkler frowned. "Eight days. We had to keep you under, whilst a decision was made, about your lungs".

That jolted the man awake. "EIGHT DAYS? And, what about my lungs?"

"One of your ribs had shattered, and some of the bone was in your lungs. We tried to remove them all, but we couldn't do so. Not in one operation. So, we asked your boss, if we could replace your lungs, with augmented ones".

Blaine freaked out. "What?! Do you even care what that would do to me? I'd end up on a very thin wire, between not getting enough Neuropozene, and ending up overdosing".

Dr Winkler shook his head. "We managed to remove all of the bone fragments, and reconstruct your rib. If augmented lungs were used, I assure you, we would have worked out the precise amount of anti-rejection drug needed. We wouldn't let you have too much, or too little".

Blaine groaned and held his head. "I'm sorry doc. It's just hard to process all this. I know you are just doing your job. Hell, you guys saved my life. I shouldn't be angry with you".

The doctor waved him off. "It's fine". A beep on his pager made him head toward the door. "I have to go. If you need anything, press the yellow button next to you. If you feel unwell at any time, press the red button".

Blaine nodded. "Is that about Hadley? Is she okay?"

The other man nodded. "She is well. Don't worry".

He nodded, and left the room, and Blaine to his thoughts.

***

Hadley was trying to stretch out her limbs, as they ached from lying down for so long. She failed and huffed. She'd been awake for two days now, and was off her face on whatever they'd given her, for most of that time. She'd only just started to feel 'normal' again today.

She was informed by a nurse, that she had three broken ribs, one fractured, and her arm was broken. The pain medication she was on took care of the pain, but, she couldn't fathom how much pain she would feel, when the drugs wore off. That worried her, gnawed at her brain.

She worried for Blaine too. He'd been shot, and was limping, last she remembered, before blacking out, unable to breathe properly.

Adam. Was he okay? She couldn't remember if he'd been injured or not. Her brain felt scrambled, any information she felt sure on, a few seconds later, she'd question it, again.

A knock on her door had her wondering if who it was.

Dr Winkler walked in, and smiled.

"Good morning Miss Groves. How are you feeling?"

Hadley waved her uninjured arm. "Apart from my fragmented memories, I think I am okay. My shoulder is beginning to hurt though. How is Blaine?"

The Dr looked at her chart. "He woke up this morning".

Hadley shot up, only to howl, as pain ripped throughout her arm. Dr Winkler frowned.

"Please, take it easy. He will be okay, I assure you. Hmm. Your file says you are due some morphine. I take it from that howl that you need some?"

Hadley squeezed her eyes shut, the pain was making her cry. "Yes. Sorry".

"I know you want to see him, but, both of you need some more time to recover. At least six months".

Hadley nodded. "Okay. What about Adam?"

The man gestured to his left. "Adam was treated, and went home almost a week ago. He left your, and Blaine's comm units here, if you wish to get in touch with him".

Hadley shook her head. "Thanks but, I feel like crap, and I need the toilet. I hate having to let the nurse help me. I know she's seen everything, but, I feel useless".

Dr Winkler shook his head. "You certainly are not useless. The nurse will be here soon. I'll leave you to it".

Hadley nodded. "Thanks Doctor".

***

4 months later

"Sir?"

Edward heard a familiar voice in his ear, and smiled. "Hadley! How are you? I apologise for not being able to visit".

Hadley sat on the corner of her hospital bed. "It's okay, I know how busy you are. I am doing good, my arm doesn't hurt, the odd spasm, but that's it. Was just checking up on you, and the family. I take it the new addition has arrived?"

"She has, called Juliet. She is tiny, it made my fatherly instinct kick in again".

Hadley chuckled. "That's adorable. Start calling you granddad now".

She and Edward smirked. "Not old enough to be your grandfather".

"You aren't old enough to be my father either, you still act like you are". She stopped laughing, and stood up. "Oh, I am going to see Blaine. The nurse said we can walk around now, not for too long. I'll give him the comm too".

Edward frowned. "Hadley, turn it off. You two could do with having a chat. A private chat".

Nervousness fluttered into her stomach. "I know Sir, I know. Okay. I'll chat another time".

"Bye Hadley".

Hadley walked into the garden of the hospital, and saw Blaine, sitting on a nearby bench. He spotted her and smiled.

"You said you are getting too old for this. I think we are getting too old for this".

Hadley laughed, and sat next to him. "We are, aren't we? Definitely retiring when I get back to London".

Blaine agreed. "So am I". He put his arm around her waist, which made her shiver. "Any idea how you'll spend it?"

Hadley tilted her head. "I have a few ideas. I want to travel, try new foods, meet new people".

"Same really. Always wanted to visit Italy, the rural parts. Had enough of city life to last a lifetime".

Hadley sighed. "I agree, it was fun when I was younger. The hectic pace, the bright nightlife, the vibrant people. Now I just want to lay down my head, or go outside, without having to worry I'll be kidnapped, or murdered".

Golden brown eyes looked into grey ones, and Blaine lifted up her chin. "You won't ever have to feel like that, ever again. I swear to you, for the rest of my life, I will protect you. And do a bloody good job of it too, considering how much I have failed recently".

Hadley frowned, and put a hand on top of his. "You didn't fail, Mikhail was just a few steps ahead, that's all. We couldn't have known that beforehand". She shivered. "It's getting cold. So, how are you feeling?"

Blaine shrugged. "Not too bad actually. Have another two months of rehab, then being transferred, back to good old Blighty".

"Me too. Look". Her expression turned serious. "I am really sorry, for the whole Adam thing. I know I did wrong".

Blaine waved his free hand. "Eh, you did what you wanted to do, wasn't going to try and stop you. You have a life, you can do what you want with it. I know that, but, my heart didn't want to listen to my brain. My heart knew I could be losing you, and I couldn't deal with that. Then I fucked up, acting like some dumb teenager, just looking to get his rocks off, by getting high. I'm the one, who should be sorry, and I am, truly".

Hadley bit back some tears, and kissed his hand. He kissed her, and she almost fell backwards, onto the bench.

He stopped and grinned. "You know, if I wasn't in a little pain right now".

He whispered the rest into her ear.

And she squealed, and went bright red...

***

After almost seven months, Hadley and Blaine were being transferred to The Royal London Hospital, for further rehabilitation, and treatment.

Awaiting them there was Finch, and he was delighted to see them. Fatherly mode had kicked in, as he hugged both of them.

Hadley grumbled, which made the two men laugh. "Still aren't old enough to be my Dad, Sir".

Edward wouldn't let go of her. "I know, but I will act like I am all I wish, am I clear?"

Hadley looked at him, and chuckled. "Sir yes Sir".

***

3 months later

"Adam, hey".

Adam awoke from his slumber, and rubbed his tired eyes. "Hadley?"

She chuckled. "You sound half asleep".

Adam grumbled and yawned. "I am still asleep".

More laughter irritated him slightly.

"Sorry, I forgot about the time difference. I'll keep it short. I just want to thank you, for everything. I just retired, last day at work. Going to travel, try and relax for a change. I hope you get to do the same at some point, or you'll get grumpy".

Adam lay back down, and felt a smile quirk his mouth. "Take care you two".

He smirked, and Hadley laughed, until she coughed. "We will do. You too mister. I'll visit Detroit sometime. Bye".

She hung up, and Adam removed his comm.

He fell back asleep, with a smile on his face.

***

Italy, June 2027

Hadley woke up, and yawned. She used the bathroom, and put on a dressing gown. She opened their apartment balcony doors, and watched the sunrise. A rustling sound behind her signaled that Blaine was awake. He didn't bother to get dressed. He used the bathroom after her, and walked behind her.

"Mmm, come back to bed".

She felt him press against her and her breath hitched.

"Beautiful morning, don't you think?"

He nodded, whilst kissing her neck. "It is. Hmm".

Blaine lifted up the back of Hadley's dressing gown. "Perfectly placed rail, to take you over. I agree, great view'.

Hadley's eyes widened. "Right now?!"

He nodded. "No one else for miles, why not?"

She smirked. "Well, who would I be, to deny talking care of you, and your morning wood, eh?'"

Blaine winked and took her hand, before pulling her back to bed.

"Alright, we'll do it your way".

"The boring way?"

Her boyfriend's eyes widened. "Boring?! That was mean. So, was last night boring?"

Hadley sighed. "Never. I didn't mean it like that. I meant you want to be a bit more adventurous, so me wanting it in bed seemed a little boring, compared to that. Christ, you really think I thought you were bad?"

Blaine sat on the bed and put his head in his hands. "I'm just scared. Now that I have you, I don't want to disappoint you".

Hadley knelt in front of him. "You could never do that". She took his hands. "Trust me, you definitely were not boring. You never have been, never will be. Let me make it up to you. Please?" She batted her eyelashes at him, which made him laugh.

"Like I'd pass that offer up".

Hadley smiled, stood up, and shut the blinds, before rejoining Blaine.

***

After she shut them, a poignant thought hit her.

Her life had taken a completely different path, one she was happy to take.

And she wasn't alone, she never was alone in walking it.

 

She then knew, just how lucky she truly was..

**Author's Note:**

> Apologies if the Armenian isn't what Google told me it was.


End file.
